Search - Articles

. Wind can scorch leaves as well as sun (and we’ve certainly had plenty of wind in Hampshire). Heavy rain and hail will also damage plants, peppering leaves and flowers with tiny shot marks.To make matters worse, water droplets on foliage can magnify

direction, place the taller plants at the back; if viewing it from all sides, place in the centre.When you're happy with the arrangement of the plants, top up the level of the water to around 2cm - 3cm below the rim of the container. Adding a stone

and place it in a bucket of water in a cool, shady spot outdoors. This allows the branches to settle and rehydrates the tree.Give your tree a vigorous shake before taking it inside, to dislodge any loose needles.Saw a few centimetres off the bottom

that had, until recently, held the squirrels' peanuts. Everyone thought this was pretty cool until 12-year-old held it and remarked "what's this wormy thing?" It was a tiny leech, only about 15mm long, squirming over her hand. I was fascinated and tried

Balling is triggered by cool, damp conditions, often in a partially shady site, where water-saturated outer petals fail to dry out before being scorched by the sun. The mushy plant tissue dries to form a stiff straightjacket around the petals

Summer prune wisteria, shortening all long wispy sideshoots back to about 20cmWater hydrangea bushes with a hydrangea colourant for true blue colour next summerTake clematis cuttings or layer new shoots by pegging them down into the soil to root

the floor every morning and open ventsWater tomatoes regularly to prevent fruits splittingSow Primula malacoides and P. obconica Greenhouse20 minutesFind out how to sow quick salads

an explosion of flowers the next year.Compost your kitchen and garden wasteTop up water levels in garden ponds if they are getting low Push canes in around tall plants like gladioli and lilies Around the gardenCollect and sow seed from foxglovesTake cuttings

Damp down the greenhouse floor on hot daysWater crops in pots and growing bagsGreenhouse20 minutesLearn how to make decorative lighting for your garden

Garden compost, bagged compost or soil improverBonemealSpadeWatering can or hosepipeMarch - October 20 minutesChoose a suitable place for the plant in your garden. Using a spade, dig a hole that's slightly bigger than the size of the pot that it's growing in