Search - Articles

harsh sun. Organic gardeners usually refer to companion plants as those deterring pests in some way. Tagetes planted alongside tomatoes and crops is a good example, where the strong pungent scent of the tagetes foliage helps mask the scent of the crop

For the boldest, brightest display in a hanging basket choose a large container (no smaller than 35cm) and pack it with plants. But keeping them flowering is thirsty work, so for a really successful show the plants will need plenty of water on a

Alys Fowler's top 10 veg plantsWith increased awareness of organic farming, food miles and healthy eating, many more people are trying their hand at growing vegetables. We caught up with Alys Fowler at the Chelsea Flower Show for some tips

Encourage your children's interest in gardening, by learning to grow peanut plants with Rachel de Thame's video advice.springMore plants to grow in a greenhouseTomatoesCactiOrchidsEarly strawberries

. It produces sweet-tasting cherry tomatoes and has shown some resistance to splitting.Tomato - 'Maskotka'Sweetcorn grows well in the UK, if placed in a sunny position. The sweetcorn variety 'Mirai' produces three small cobs (approx. 20cm each) per plant

tomato hornworm and is said to improve the flavour of strawberries.BorageThyme, Thymus vulgaris makes a good companion plant for roses, as its strong scent deters blackfly. A tea made from soaking thyme leaves and sprayed on cabbages can prevent whitefly

I'm the proud owner of two whopping great carnivorous plants. One was a present to my son from his granddad, the other is a rescue plant (much like our rescue cat!).Right now my greenhouse is looking decidedly miserable. My pepper and tomato plants

the sun's rays, burning leaves beneath them. This effect is exacerbated if the plants are in the greenhouse. I think this has happened to some of my ripening peppers.Some crops, like tomatoes and chillies, can develop low calcium levels if they have been

Growing vegetables from seed can make a limited budget go a long way. Some crops, such as maincrop potatoes and onions are fairly cheap to buy in shops, so growing your own might not save you a lot of money. But runner bean, cherry tomato

encourages flowers to form at the base of each of these pruned shoots.I regularly hear of people whose wisteria won't flower, but my plant flowers very reliably. Perhaps growing it in a pot helps, along with correct pruning, and feeding with a high potash