Growing Made Easy
And here are some other topical tasks…
Good technique is what turns a patch of plants into a garden that thrives, and most of it is simpler than people fear. Over fifty years I have found that a few sound habits, pruning at the right moment, feeding and watering with a bit of judgement, knowing when to step in and when to leave well alone, do more for a garden than any amount of expensive kit.
In this section I take the everyday jobs and make them straightforward: how and when to prune so plants respond with healthy new growth, how to feed and water for steady, productive plants rather than soft and sappy ones, and how to raise your own from seed, cuttings and division so your garden costs less and goes further. There are guides on cultivation through the seasons, on getting the best from fruit and vegetables, and on the small timing decisions that make the difference between a fair result and a really good one.
None of it needs a trained eye, just a willingness to work with the plant rather than against it. The guides below walk you through each job, step by step.
What is the best time to sow beans?
Beans are an easy and rewarding crop to grow for summer and the best time to sow them is .....
Keep on top of weeds this autumn
The arrival of autumn sees so many of our ornamental plants and crops become dormant or go into tick .....
Creating the perfect place for shade loving plants
With climate change heralding more extremes of weather, creating the perfect place for shade loving plants could involve the construction .....
When is the best time to plant daffodils
Autumn is the time when the spring bulbs fill our garden centres, and for daffodils it is best to .....
Stop watering and start re-planting for spring
Pots and containers of summer flowers are reaching the end of the road by early autumn, and it's time to .....
The best way to deadhead alstroemerias
The best way to deadhead alstroemerias is to pull the faded flower stem out rather than cut it. Grasp .....
How to get more flowers on roses
Still one of our most popular flowers, anything that you can to get more blooms on your roses has got .....
What’s the best compost for succulents
Succulents have become hugely popular in recent years, but giving them the right compost is crucial if they are .....
Time to train your wisteria
In recent years there's been plenty written and broadcast about pruning wisteria, but less about why midsummer is the .....
How to take summer cuttings
Who wouldn't turn down a free plant and with plenty of growth on plants in early summer it's easy to .....