Page 86 - News

Woman walking on garden path with suitcase near flowering shrubs and a straw hat on the ground

How Thorny Plants Turn Your Garden into a Deterrent for Burglars

Harriet M. Ashford • September 4, 2026

Alarm system, smart camera, sturdy front door - the usual classics are familiar to everyone. Far fewer homeowners consider that...

Man in a grey jumper and hat tending to leafy greens in a raised garden bed on a sunny day.

The Ice Saints: What You Can Plant Before Mid-May

Harriet M. Ashford • September 4, 2026

Plenty of amateur gardeners spend spring anxiously watching the calendar. The so‑called Ice Saints in mid‑May are often treated as...

Person collecting ripe black berries from a bush into a green container on a wooden garden deck.

Black Spots on Photinia ‘Red Robin’: Natural Help for Your Hedge

Harriet M. Ashford • September 4, 2026

Anyone who grows evergreen Photinia in the garden knows the pattern: in winter the young shoots glow red, in spring...

Person planting seeds with a trowel in a raised garden bed surrounded by flowers and gardening tools.

Nigella (Love-in-a-mist): the low-maintenance summer flower for gardens and balconies

Harriet M. Ashford • September 4, 2026

If you want a colourful summer in the garden or on the balcony without turning it into another daily chore,...

Woman tending to hanging and potted plants on a kitchen counter by a window with natural light.

Old Fruit Basket to Hanging Plant Basket: A Mini Hanging Garden for Houseplants (Upcycling)

Harriet M. Ashford • September 4, 2026

Plenty of people have one of these tucked away somewhere: a slightly dented wire basket from a car boot sale,...

Elderly person wearing a hat watering plants in a garden on a sunny day with containers nearby.

My grandmother’s spring lawn trick with iron sulphate and river sand to beat moss

Harriet M. Ashford • September 4, 2026

My grandmother tackled the problem right at this stage. Instead of waiting for moss to surge in spring, she deliberately...

Person kneeling in garden feeding a small bird near a birdhouse on a tree at sunset.

Tit-friendly garden: how to attract tits with nest boxes, plants and structure

Harriet M. Ashford • September 4, 2026

Anyone who has watched tits feeding their chicks knows how much activity just a couple of pairs can bring to...

Person repotting a red poinsettia plant on a wooden kitchen table with gardening tools and soil nearby

Poinsettia care in March and April: how Euphorbia pulcherrima thrives into summer

Harriet M. Ashford • September 4, 2026

If you avoid one common mistake in March and April, you can keep a lush, attractive green plant right through...

Woman watering plants in a vegetable garden with sweet potatoes at sunset.

Sweet potatoes: the watering mistake that can cost 60 percent of your harvest

Harriet M. Ashford • September 3, 2026

Anyone hoping to lift aromatic, chunky sweet potatoes from their own garden doesn’t need a tropical winter or specialist fertilisers....

Young man gardening outdoors, kneeling on soil, holding a rake and reading a paper with gardening tools nearby.

Spring property maintenance rules: councils, inspections and fines up to €1,500

Harriet M. Ashford • September 3, 2026

As the growing season gets under way, local authorities add inspections of paths, verges and private plots to their calendars....

Two hands planting seeds in soil near a blooming agapanthus flower in a garden bed.

March P–K Trick for Agapanthus: Taller Flower Stems and XXL Flower Balls

Harriet M. Ashford • September 3, 2026

Plenty of leaves but hardly any flowers - and the stems that do appear stay short. Many hobby gardeners see...

Person sweeping white gravel path with a broom while holding a steaming kettle in a garden.

Three Natural Steps to Keep Weeds Out of Your Gravel Driveway

Harriet M. Ashford • September 3, 2026

Many keen gardeners face the same annoyance every year: in spring the driveway looks tidy, but as soon as the...

Person in gloves filling bird feeder with seeds on snowy balcony with small birds nearby.

Winter bird feeding: keeping bird food dry to prevent mould and frozen seed

Harriet M. Ashford • September 3, 2026

The cause is often sitting right there in the feeder. A ball of tits in the cherry tree, a silo...

Man pruning fruit tree in orchard with calendar showing 10 March and gardening sketches in foreground

Pruning Fruit Trees by 10 March: Apple, Pear, Peach and Cherry

Harriet M. Ashford • September 3, 2026

If you spend March simply longing for the first blossoms, you often miss the crucial moment in the orchard. Right...

Person repotting a young lemon tree on a sunny balcony with lemon fruits on nearby plants.

Save a Dried-Out Lemon Tree in Around Two Weeks with a Simple Zero-Cost Trick

Harriet M. Ashford • September 3, 2026

A simple technique can often turn things around. Plenty of hobby gardeners recognise the moment: the pot feels feather-light, the...

Hands watering tomato plants in a raised garden bed using a plastic bottle with reusable bottle caps nearby

Bottle Caps for Drip Irrigation in the Vegetable Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • September 3, 2026

Between empty plastic bottles, colourful caps and the recycling sack lies a small watering trick that many keen gardeners simply...

Hands planting yellow primrose in a terracotta pot on a wooden table with other potted flowers and a watering can.

Why Primroses Really Die So Quickly

Harriet M. Ashford • September 3, 2026

What’s really behind it? Primroses are often seen as easy-going signs of spring, yet in plenty of homes and on...

Person gardening, tending to small white flowers in a patch of green clover beside a lawn mower and watering can.

Micro Clover (Dwarf Clover) as a Lawn Alternative for a Greener Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • September 3, 2026

Many hobby gardeners will recognise the pattern: in spring the lawn still looks reasonably presentable, but once the first heatwaves...

Woman in a straw hat gardening with compost and straw mulch in a raised vegetable bed on a sunny day.

Chicken Manure in the Garden: Turn Coop Bedding into Powerful Compost

Harriet M. Ashford • September 3, 2026

Keeping a few chickens in the garden usually brings fresh eggs to mind first, and maybe a bit of entertainment...

Person sitting on steps interacting attentively with a golden retriever dog in a garden.

Ticks in the Garden: Which Plants Encourage Them and How to Reduce Risk

Harriet M. Ashford • September 3, 2026

Your own garden is often seen as a safe place to unwind: barbecues, bare feet on the lawn, children charging...

Woman in a straw hat spraying insecticide on damaged leaves of garden plants outdoors.

Photinia ‘Red Robin’ black spots: the one natural step to save your hedge

Harriet M. Ashford • September 3, 2026

Many garden owners only realise something is wrong when there is already a proper carpet of colourful, speckled leaves under...