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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

planting, simply chop down and dig in your green manure, leaving it to break down into the soil. As the plants decompose, they return nutrients to the earth, providing it with the perfect food for your crops. For best results, you should cut down the crop

As spring finally springs and the soil warms up, we should address a very common hosta problem. You may not, I suppose, be aware that there is any sort of problem, but that may be because you are either very lucky, or that you have never grown them

changing from pink to blue...a clear illustration of the affect of pH on plants.My garden soil must have got more alkaline, possibly through watering with 'hard' tap water during hot weather last summer, hence the pink flowers this year. I'll need to change

Monty Don and Carol Klein demonstrate how to plant alpine plants through a layer of membrane and gravel, with advice on increasing soil drainage.spring or autumnMore on growing alpinesWatch our video guide to making an alpine pathVideo advice

Blackcurrants are easy to grow and more tolerant of heavy soils than other currant bushes. Just one plant can provide a generous crop of berries. If blackcurrant bushes are kept well fed and watered you could be harvesting fruit a year after

Planting bare-root roses during the dormant season allows the plants to establish quickly because this is when the soil is moist. Bare root plants are available to buy in winter and are more economical than planting pot-grown roses if you need lots

. If you have light, free-draining soil, you can start planting potatoes outside. I have very heavy clay soil in my garden, which is still a bit too wet for potatoes, so I’m putting it off for a little longer.I’ll sow some hardy annual flower seeds outside

Discover how to create and maintain acid soil conditions for growing blueberries and cranberries, with Chris Beardshaw's step-by-step video advice.summerMore advice on growing fruitGrowing early strawberriesRaising new strawberry plantsHow to plant

Learn how to plant colchicums, and pick up advice on soil enrichment, drainage and corm planting depth, in Chris Bearshaw's video guide.summerMore advice on plantingHow to plant in wavesGrowing dahlias from seedBrowse a variety of crocuses