Page 107 - News

Hands planting a young seedling in soil in a wooden raised garden bed with gardening tools nearby

Soil Compaction: Why Sunlight Alone Won’t Make Your Garden Thrive

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

In a nutshell The easy-to-miss problem is soil compaction. It limits oxygen, slows water infiltration, and prevents roots from expanding-so...

Hand planting seeds in soil next to a wooden ruler and metal watering can in a garden bed.

Carrot sowing depth: why 1 cm matters

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

As winter draws to a close, your hands start itching to get back into the veg patch - yet an...

Person transplanting a green seedling from a clear plastic pot to a terracotta pot on a wooden table.

Why Houseplants Stop Growing: The Root Health, Soil and Drainage Fix

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

It first caught my attention on a damp Tuesday. I was in the kitchen in my socks, looking at a...

Woman wearing overalls planting flowers in a colourful garden bed on a sunny day.

Perennial Gardens: Let Perennials Do the Work, Not Annuals

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

The soil is properly starting to warm, garden centres are bursting with colour, and your social feeds are packed with...

Hands sowing seeds in soil surrounded by blue flowers, bees in flight, and two small birds in the background.

Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella damascena): Easy March Sowing for Colour, Bees and Birds

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Many keen gardeners reach spring and find themselves staring at bare beds, unsure what to plant: something that grows quickly,...

Young man tending to a young tomato plant in a garden bed with a watering can and open notebook nearby

The Finger Test That Beats Any Watering Schedule for Overwatering

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

The hose had only been on for about ten minutes before the first earthworm bobbed up. Around the rose bushes,...

Person planting a small shrub in a garden bed surrounded by potted plants on a sunny day.

Smarter winter hedge alternatives to the thuja hedge: laurustinus, photinia, hornbeam and privet

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

A quieter, more thoughtful hedging shift is happening out of sight. All over the UK (and further afield), gardeners are...

Hands adding coffee grounds and eggshells to a bowl for composting on a kitchen windowsill.

Turn Kitchen Scraps into Plant Gold with Coffee Grounds, Eggshells and Banana Peels

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Heavy black bin bags hit the pavement, lids snap shut, and there’s that faint mix of coffee and vegetable peel...

Person weeding grass and soil in a garden with gardening tools and a clipboard in the background.

When to Scarify Your Lawn in Spring (and When Not to)

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

The first bright weekend of the year turns up, you wheel the scarifier out of the shed, and it’s tempting...

Woman planting seedlings in a raised garden bed with flowers, vegetables, a watering can, and a basket of gardening supplies.

The Push–Pull Strategy for the Vegetable Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

More and more amateur gardeners want to pick lettuce, tomatoes and herbs without constantly reaching for a bottle of chemicals....

Hands planting seeds in soil with gardening tools and seedlings nearby in a garden bed.

The tiny spring soil habit garden experts never skip

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

On the first properly warm Saturday of spring, you pop into the garden centre “just for a look” and somehow...

Person watering a variety of potted succulent and flowering plants near a sunny window indoors.

Shade-tolerant plants to deter mosquitoes: balm sedum and daylily hemerocallis

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

If you’re fed up with shutting windows, coating yourself in repellent, or listening to that familiar whine at night, there’s...

Young man watering a potted plant and repotting indoors at a wooden table with an open book.

Letting Your Plants Struggle: Controlled Stress for Resilient Houseplants

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

The first time I “forgot” to water my monstera, I felt like the worst plant parent imaginable. The leaves slumped,...

Person sprinkling coffee grounds into garden soil beside a cup of coffee and blooming plants outdoors.

Coffee Grounds for Plants: How to Improve Soil, Boost Blooms and Deter Pests

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Every morning, tonnes of coffee grounds end up in household bins. Yet those brown grains contain a full nutrient mix...

Person planting seedlings in a garden bed with pink flowers, a watering can, soil thermometer, and garden trowel nearby.

Uneven blooming: how root competition splits your garden border

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

The first thing that catches your eye is the divide. On the left-hand side of the border, the tulips look...

Person watering moss and plants along a garden path outside a stone house on a cloudy day.

Simple UK moss removal trick for lawns, patios and paths

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Most gardens can shift the balance without resorting to harsh treatments. All over the UK, lawns and paving quickly take...

Person adding food scraps to kitchen compost bin on a wooden countertop near fresh vegetables and potted plants.

Indoor Composting in an Apartment: A Simple Two-Container Setup

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Sarah stands in front of her overfilled kitchen rubbish bin, watching yet another heap of coffee grounds and limp lettuce...

Person pruning a small tree with autumn leaves in a garden, next to a watering can and plant food.

Three Winter Jobs to Make Your Japanese Maple Explode in Spring

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Many gardeners are surprised in March and April: the Japanese maple is still bare, while roses, hydrangeas and perennials are...

Child kneeling on garden path planting seedlings among colourful flowers in a sunny backyard garden.

Breaking Up With the Perfect Lawn: Save Time, Water and Money

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

Saturday morning, 8:07 a.m. The neighbour’s mower kicks in before you’ve even finished your first coffee. You look out at...

Three people sitting at a wooden table outdoors, talking and gesturing around a vase with plants and a glass bottle.

Wormwood: the herb splitting families at the garden table

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

The row began over a plant that didn’t even come up to my ankle. On one side of the garden...

Person refilling bird feeder while various birds gather around in a snowy garden during winter.

Winter bird feeding: where to place a feeder in your garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 21, 2026

On the coldest days, a garden can seem as though it has been paused. Then a quick flicker of wings...