Search - Articles

and fed them on cubes of luncheon meat or the occasional tiny slug. Eventually they would get tipped into the garden ponds, two ceramic butler sinks sunk into the soil, and they lived there for several years.As far as I know the newts still breed in those

and there was no sign of a nest (just the usual giant slugs, earwigs and some ant eggs). I'm not sure how I'll feel if it does start a family – my garden isn't big enough to support many – but for now I'm happy. Perhaps it's just a lone mouse scouting for a hibernation

seedlings, which are vulnerable to slugs and late frosts. Wait until plants are hardened off and a good 30cm high before potting up in large containers somewhere sheltered and sunny.How to grow annual climbers from seedsow in February, pot on in April, plant

weeks, just when the beetles, caterpillars and slugs that hedgehogs rely on for food are themselves settling down to hibernate. Despite being nocturnal, autumn orphans are likely to be seen out during the day as they try to find food to gain weight

it will not need to return to the water until March 2011 at the earliest. In the meantime it will come out each night from about March to October and prowl about hunting bugs, slugs and any other small creeping things it can get its jaws around.I always get

watercress I bought from the supermarket for 75p. I'd like to add more plants, and buy some plants for my mother (her pond is a disgrace, it's full of dead slugs). Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) is lovely, native to Britain and has beautiful yellow flowers

), the beans were stringy, the courgettes didn’t thrive and the lettuce was eaten by slugs.  My compost heap was good though. I’ve always loved a good compost heap.I had a break until a few years ago, when my dad brought me a couple of tomato plants to grow

for the frogs, slugs, snails and other frog food. I'll let my borders rot down into themselves.Following Richard's advice I've also ‘created’ a jumbled pile of pots (it looks hideous), I’ve left straggly clematis stems unclipped and there are plenty of patches

or raise them in pots indoors to transplant later. Sowing direct is generally the preferred method, as the sunflowers don't suffer a 'check' in growth when transplanted. However the young plants are at risk of being eaten by slugs and birds, so I

of dead foliage makes it even better, as it attracts other creatures eaten by frogs, such as slugs, snails and beetles.Seemingly, my grow bag habitat is so good, the frogs still haven't emerged. They're awake now (I checked), and I can hear them thumping