Page 34 - Latest Articles - aucklandtrees.co.uk

Person pruning young green plants in a raised garden bed with gardening tools and seed packet nearby.

Mustard green manure in February: Sinapis alba for 18% higher yields

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

When February makes everything look grey and lifeless, forward-thinking gardeners can already begin the real season - in the soil....

Person lifting a green tarp to reveal a coiled snake resting on wooden planks in a garden setting.

Snakes in the Garden: Why Tarpaulins and Metal Sheets Attract Them in Spring

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

With the first warmer days of the year, many people start tidying their gardens: tools are put away, shrubs are...

Hand pouring liquid fertiliser onto soil near ripening strawberries in a garden bed.

Yeast Fertiliser for Strawberries: The Simple Water and Sugar Mix for Bigger Berries

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Many gardeners will recognise the frustration: the strawberry plants look vigorous in the bed, yet the fruit stays small and...

Hand placing a large pine cone on soil on a wooden windowsill with potted plants and watering can.

A fir cone trick to keep houseplants alive in winter

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Central heating, shut windows, poorly ventilated compost: during the colder months, living rooms develop conditions that put roots under serious...

Person sweeping gravel path in a garden with kettle and bucket nearby on a sunny day.

Natural ways to keep a gravel path weed-free without chemicals

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Many homeowners will recognise the pattern: in spring the gravel path looks as though it has just been laid, but...

Person wearing gloves pruning fruit tree branches with shears in an orchard during autumn or early spring.

February winter pruning for apple trees: how to secure a bigger harvest

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

The orchard may still look as though it is asleep for winter, but it is precisely now that you determine...

Person wiping a wooden outdoor table surrounded by plastic and wooden chairs in a garden patio.

Winter‑Proof Garden Furniture: Materials to Avoid and What Lasts

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Many garden owners face the same unpleasant surprise in late winter: what looked smart in spring suddenly resembles something ready...

Person watering a zucchini plant growing in a raised garden bed on a sunny day.

Courgette Watering: Progressive Watering for Bigger Harvests

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Plenty of hobby gardeners water their courgettes regularly, yet still fail to get the most from the plants. What matters...

Great tit bird flying near purple coneflowers in a sunlit garden with a bird feeder in the background.

Echinacea (Purple Coneflower): The Perennial That Feeds Garden Birds All Winter

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Plant it now and, next winter, you could be watching a real bird spectacle right outside your window. Plenty of...

Person watering tomato plant in a terracotta pot on a balcony with gardening tools and other plants nearby

A simple bottle trick can save your plants

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

A simple bottle trick can save them. Anyone with houseplants, balcony pots or veg growing knows the issue: go away...

Person harvesting a root vegetable in a garden with sunflowers and a basket in the background.

Jerusalem artichoke is back: a comeback in gardens and kitchens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

For years it was dismissed as a granny’s vegetable: plain, forgettable and a little old-fashioned. Now the knobbly tuber with...

Person kneeling in a garden trimming a small plant with pruning shears near blooming hydrangeas.

Monty Don’s March Hydrangea Pruning and Mulch Trick for Bigger Blooms

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

On British television, Monty Don can look almost offhand as he walks his beds in early spring and snips away...

Man pointing at bees near a green lawn mower in a garden with beehives and a child wearing a beekeeper suit nearby

Asian hornet: the growing risk of underground nests in gardens

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

For a long time, this dangerous wasp species was treated as an issue high up in tree canopies or tucked...

Person trimming fresh basil in a sunlit kitchen with potted herbs and chopping board of vegetables.

A Kitchen Herb Garden That Actually Thrives

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

The basil is leaning at an angle. A few leaves have already started to turn slightly yellow, the compost looks...

Person planting a young tree in soil in a sunny garden with gardening tools nearby.

Planting Fruit Trees in March: Keep the Graft Union Above Soil Level

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Spring is just around the corner, garden centres are busy, and the idea of growing your own apple, cherry or...

Woman arranging chair in a sunlit garden with blooming roses, potted plants, a wicker rocking chair, and a table set outdoors

Vintage-Look Garden: Why the Flea Market Is the Better Place to Shop

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

Strolling through flea markets at the moment, one thing becomes obvious: it is no longer just vases and pictures that...

Woman in green gloves placing pink fish eggs into a garden pond beside a white bucket and tongs.

Pink Eggs in the Garden: Why the Golden Apple Snail Is a Serious Threat

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

What looks almost pretty at first glance can turn into a serious issue for your garden, the wider environment and...

Young man adjusting a red lawn mower on a grassy backyard with a football and two children in the background.

The Right Mowing Height: How Your Lawn Becomes a Green Carpet

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

The correct mowing height is what decides whether your garden struggles or your lawn turns into a true green carpet....

Person sprinkling fertiliser on young lettuce plants in a raised garden bed outdoors on a sunny day.

How Coffee Grounds Loosen Soil in the Vegetable Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

In the early morning, when the vegetable garden is still damp with dew, every footfall sounds oddly muted. Soil clings...

Two men standing by a wooden gate, one holding papers, the other using an asthma inhaler under yellow flowering bushes.

Hedges, Pollen and Allergies: When a Neighbour Dispute Turns Legal

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

If you’ve planted a tall hedge to screen off your patio, you’re probably thinking about peace and privacy - not...

Person tending to a tall flowering plant in a raised garden bed with leafy greens and a watering can nearby.

Why Your Lettuce Bolts: Causes and How to Stop It

Harriet M. Ashford • August 22, 2026

The lettuce is looking at you as if you’ve let it down. The day before yesterday it was still a...