Search - Articles

or ornamental mulch, then water thoroughly.AdamChoose a large, heavy terracotta or ceramic pot for greater stability.Plant a single hosta in a pot. A single plant will produce a more pleasing shape than a group of small ones.More advice on growing hostas

Verbena bonariensis is semi-hardy, so plants may be damaged by winter frosts. Protect the roots with a layer of straw or mulch in winter, and don't cut back the dead stalks until new ones have emerged in spring. If left, verbena bonariensis will self-seed freely

of the rootball to about 2cm - 3cm below the rim of the container. Fill around the rootball with more compost mix, firming it in layers as you fill.Aim for the finished compost level to be 2cm - 3cm below the rim of the pot. This will allow you to water the plant

well before applying a 5cm-deep mulch of damp compost around the base of the plants to help conserve moisture in the soil. Coax stems to climb by carefully twining them around the canes.AdamMake a shallow dent in the soil near the plants, fill

end pieces, adding an extra 1cm along the top edge of each piece to form a lip above the top of the box. Measure the thickness of the slate and add double this to the length of the longer side pieces. If you're using broken slates, you'll need to plan

your garden grow, or go on holiday, safe in the knowledge that your plants won't go thirsty.Watering kit (this one is 2 PotKit, available from AutoPot)summer30 minutesSet out the watering kit, attaching the pipe to the tank and valve. If you raise

I do love the garden in October - especially in the sunshine. In the early Spring it is all about hope and waiting: all that mulch and neatly tidied brown border. A month or so later and there is green stuff and bulbs all over the place. Then we

and groundsel. The weedkiller, aminopyralid, has been ingested by farm animals and hasn't broken down. It's still present in the manure, which, when laid as a mulch or incorporated into soil, can affect garden crops.Symptoms to look out for include distorted

mulches and organic matter. Returning nutrients to the soil is vital for healthy plant growth and decent yields, improving soil structure and moisture retention. If in doubt, stick to home-made garden compost, leaf mould or composted green waste from

I have three children - actually that is slightly misleading, as it may conjure up visions of little A-S toddlers trundling around with beaming smiles and sticky fingers. Sadly, those days are long passed and, at 23, 20 and 16, they are way past