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, but as soon as her back is turned they're back. Aren't they always?I can't think of anything useful my dog actually does in the garden. Despite poodles being quite intelligent dogs and easy to train to do tricks, so far she hasn't taken to weeding. Watering

-minutes a day to water a scorched plot, and then made to feel guilty for doing so by the water companies and national press! Warm, wet weather brings salad crops on a treat, but slugs love it, too. Damp weather is perfect for them, and they've been on a

as required.For planting things that are going to live their life in a pot I always choose a loam-based John Innes No.3 compost. The loam gives it the guts to last, along with longer-lasting nutrients. There's no harm in mixing in some water-retaining gel

in the What to do now section of the magazine are taken in my garden. It's not massive, and I don't have any help looking after it, so it has to be run just as anyone else working full-time would run their garden.No, I can't water the whole thing just to keep

that the thick seed coats of sweet peas needed chipping with a knife or sanding down to allow water to enter the seed. Times have changed, and so has the advice. Just soaking sweet pea seeds in a glass of water overnight is all that's required, and seeds should

to continue growing. Plants can then be picked over for several weeks before becoming exhausted, and needing to be replaced. All they'll need is regular watering and the addition of an occasional liquid feed to encourage new growth.Salads also need sowing

it hard to determine when fruits are actually ripe to pick. Many turned soft and fell before I realised they were fully ripe, while others split badly later in the season, and weren't as tolerant of irregular watering patterns (is that my fault

copiously watering the area to try and dilute the lawn treatment and alleviate its affects, but to no avail - the damage was done.Oh well. Time for another photo shoot and feature - this time on lawn renovation techniques. At least September is an ideal time

and you've suddenly created a long and interesting season of spring flowers.Another advantage of growing bulbs in baskets is that I can keep watering and feeding them to ensure they continue growing and die down naturally. Once their flowers have finished

-stop, producing these beautiful floral discs continually - new ones opening as quickly as faded ones are snipped away.Like most tender perennial summer bedding plants these osteospermums have three requirements. First they need regular water, and soon tell you