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Green manures are the perfect organic fertiliser. They improve soil structure, suppress weeds and return nutrients to the soil.You never see bare earth in the wild for a reason: autumn rains in particular can leach nutrients, damage soil structure

taken down by worms to improve the soil. At this time of year, when perennial plants are putting on such a burst of new growth, I also make sure they don't go short of water. Adding a liquid feed a couple of times a year also helps.It has been

Soil typesYour soil type - sandy, loam or clay - determines which plant species you can grow. Knowing your soil type enables to you to choose the plants best suited to your garden. Soil type is identified the presence of clay, sand and silt

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

soothes sore throats.Take one teaspoonful four to five times a day until symptoms improve. If symptoms persist after a week, consult your doctor.Large, fresh onionJar of clear honeyBowlFunnelSterilised bottleCling filmall year round20 minutesPeel, top

You can easily propagate oriental poppies by taking root cuttings. They make perfect candidates for this propagation method as it exploits the plant's propensity to reproduce itself from every scrap of root left behind when plants are moved. Once

I've commented before that I don't think 'wildlife' should refer to animals only. It should also include plants, even though most wild plants are referred to as weeds when they turn up in gardens. I wonder what the owner of the garden in East

watering.As the orchid grows it will develop a strong, fleshy root system. When the roots fill the original pot the plant should be potted on into a slightly larger one.Put crocks in the bottom of the pot to improve drainage. Add specialist orchid compost

and cut the stem just below a node, where there is a concentration of the plant's own hormones.To improve success rates, dip the base of each cutting in a small amount of rooting hormone to stimulate root growth.Fill pots with seed compost mixed with sharp

wrote a number of important garden books in the 1930s. The photography is not brilliant, but what struck me is that nothing much changes, they're still much the same plants grown in much the same way.Except that perhaps our slug-catching techniques have