Page 18 - Latest Articles - aucklandtrees.co.uk

Person adjusting a red electric lawn mower on grass in a sunny backyard with a garden saw nearby.

First spring cut: why mowing the lawn too early and too short backfires

Harriet M. Ashford • September 4, 2026

Many amateur gardeners launch into the season full of enthusiasm and pull out the mower as soon as the ground...

Hands arranging miniature mushrooms and toy spiders in soil on a wooden table near a potted plant and cup.

The Match Trick for Fungus Gnats in Houseplant Pots

Harriet M. Ashford • September 4, 2026

Many houseplant lovers know the scenario: tiny black flies rise from the pot, the compost seems permanently damp, and the...

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...