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Well, thank goodness for greenhouses. I've practically been living in mine this month. It's been far too chilly to even think about sowing outside, and besides, I don't do frozen fingers.Under glass, though, it's all lovely and cosy, and I potter

Occasionally, orchids need repotting to refresh their expanding root systems. Most indoor orchids are epiphytes, meaning they naturally grow attached to a tree branch with their roots clinging to the bark. In order to mimic their preferred growing conditions, house plant orchids ...

this as an excuse to loaf around watching old films, but then nothing gets done.So, instead I will spend the afternoon in my mother-in-law’s greenhouse as my wife’s loyal assistant. The vegetable garden is her bailiwick, and I am there to move things and do what I

The most famous member of the bromeliad family is the pineapple (Ananas comosus). But there's a wide range of different types of bromeliad available, in florists and garden centres – and they’re extremely easy to grow. Follow our simple tips and you’ll enjoy a long-lasting displa...

Home-grown cucumbers are delicious, so it's well worth raising your own crop from seed. Cucumber seed needs warmth to germinate, and should be sown indoors during April or May.It's worth checking the seed packets before you buy and looking for varieties that produce all-female fl...

In those wonderful James Herriot stories, there is a woman called Mrs Pumphrey, whose spoilt dog is known as  ‘flop-bot’. With a name like that, there is no need for a description. When a tray of seedlings suffers with the horticultural equivalent, and the whole lot keels over in...

Cut flowers really brighten up a home, and growing your own can save you a fortune on floristry bills. There are plenty of varieties suitable for cutting, including ‘everlasting’ flowers, which can be cut and dried to use in arrangements all year round. Also, many attract bees, b...

There are many hardy and half-hardy annuals that can be grown for cut flowers. Many attract bees and butterflies and some species can be dried, for use in long-lasting displays.Sow hardy and half-hardy annuals between March and April in small pots or modular trays. Once the risk ...