Search - Articles

Despite summer drought in my part of the East Midlands, my apple crop has been pretty good on most trees, but there’s just one problem. A much larger proportion of fruit than ever before has been pecked on the tree itself, resulting in small holes that soon lead to rotting.Now, I...

Should I feel guilty about heating my greenhouse? While I'm turning the heat down in my home to save energy, keep bills down, and reduce CO2 emissions, here I am considering heating my greenhouse to both protect plants through winter and provide

You can't beat a real Christmas tree, but fallen needles and bare branches don't look particularly festive. Find out how to avoid Christmas tree needle drop, below.Christmas treeChristmas tree clampBucketSawSecateursDecemberWhen buying the tree, check that its needles are firmly ...

Insulate a coldframe using polystyrene sheeting, with help from Monty Don.autumnMore advice on propagating plantsHow to take root cuttingsCarol Klein's video guide to taking basal cuttingsSarah Raven gives advice on taking dahlia cuttingsTaking summer cuttingsTaking cuttings from...

to circulate through and between the plants, reducing fungal problems. some models are also available with shelves underneath, for extra storage. Prices from £30.BenchesA cold frame is a useful halfway house between the protected environment of a greenhouse

Today we got our first proper frost. The roofs of the buildings are dusted with white, the grass is crispy underfoot and the seedheads are glittering with ice - at least they are when the sun breaks through the lowering cloud. All very lovely, except for the fact that it’s a litt...

Monty demonstrates how to sow carrot seed and shares tips on protecting your crop from carrot root fly with a combination of physical barriers, companion planting and later sowings.spring-summerMore advice on growing carrotsAdvice on dealing

Watch Monty Don as he experiments with a new method of growing summer-fruiting raspberries, which claims to yield fruit in the first year.springMore on growing raspberriesRead Lila Das Gupta's blog on growing raspberriesMaking the most of summer raspberriesEnjoy a long raspberry ...

Monty Don demonstrates how to plant tomatoes in grow bags and pots in the greenhouse at Berryfields, including advice on getting the most from grow bags, and when to put tomato plants outside.springMore advice on growing tomatoesRead Kate Bradbury's blog on the dos and don'ts of ...

It takes quite a lot to tempt me outside in December, but once I’m coated, booted and scarved and do get outside, I suddenly realise quite how much there is to do. With my (rather unflattering) beanie hat snugly pulled down, it’s time to work through my Seasonal Checklist…1. Wrap...