Search - Articles

stages of growth.springMore advice on growing plants from seedSowing seeds indoorsHow to sow sweet pea seedsGrowing exotic plants from seedGrowing dahlias from seed

to prevent it drying out.The exotic striped spathe will form on the side of the leaf stalk and lasts about one week before beginning to fade.AdamAdd loam or John Innes to your compost to improve nutrient levels, and start feeding every week once your plants

. Nothing more exotic than that - bit disappointing really!Once you've planted Jersusalem artichokes you've got them for an awfully long time. Even the tiniest bit of tuber will sprout and grow so it's easiest just to devote a corner of the plot to them

or bubble polythene and they'll reward you with lush foliage next season.Clean and sharpen pruning tools Repair and treat fencing and timber structures Bring all watering equipment indoorsAround the gardenPrune wisteria sideshoots to 10-15cm from their base

prefer a plant or two that few others have.One that caught my eye when it was first introduced by Hillier's 14 years ago is Sophora 'Sun King'. A chance seedling turned up in Hillier Arboretum, growing into this new garden-worthy shrub, and what a stunner

in large pots or growing them as exotic-looking crops in borders. Sweetcorn seeds or plantsModular seed trays and multi-purpose compost if raising from seed Dibber or pencil Trowellate-May - early June 50 minutes to sow and plantharvest AugustIf growing

) was of a Chinese juniper 1.5m tall and 3.5m wide growing in a small, overcrowded garden. Over a period of years it was dug up, pruned and replanted until it fitted into a pot. The whole process took about a quarter of a century and is far from over.The art

in late-summer are pretty wide-ranging, as are shrubs, climbers and herbaceous perennials. Most fashionable annuals, exotics and tender perennial patio plants should also stay in flower until late-September, or even early October, if properly looked after

the seedheads may be highly ornamental and can be left on the plants for their display, but checking them regularly to collect some of the seed once it's dry.SeedheadsSecateursPaper envelopes or paper bagsPenSeptember - October10 minutesWait for seeds to ripen

of seed and scatter thinly along the drill or you will waste seed and spend more time thinning out.Use a trowel or your fingers to cover seeds with 0.5cm of soil. Label the rows and water using a watering can with a rose attachment.Thin seedlings out once