Mid-autumn As the weather starts to turn cooler, it’s a good idea to close up the greenhouse early in the afternoon to trap heat, which will help to ripen indoor fruit. Set aside a day to clean out the greenhouse and remove shading paint or blinds. Put up insulation to ensure overnight temperatures are kept Read More… »
Author Archive
» The Greenhouse Gardening Year
Climbers and trailers Two wonderful climbers for a warm greenhouse are the golden trumpet and the marmalade bush, with huge yellow flowers and smaller orange or orange-yellow ones respectively. Both may survive lower temperatures (7°C145°F); prune back after flowering or in winter to keep them the size you want them. Tradescantia fluminensis (white- or yellow-variegated Read More… »
» Plants For The Cool And Warm Greenhouse
Later flowers If you’re very keen on sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus), there are two newish series called Winter Sunshine and Spring Sunshine that will flower in mid- and late spring under cover from autumn sowings. Otherwise, once the early-spring bulbs are over, any number of annuals can take their place, including snapdragons (Antirrhinum) and Brornpton Read More… »
» Plants For The Greenhouse
Peaches and nectarines harvest JUL, AUG, SEP Like apricots (see page 85), peaches and nectarines are more likely to succeed under cover than in the garden, escaping both weather damage to their flowers and the risk of fungal disease. For the very best fruit production, they should be grown as fan-trained trees (see page 88) Read More… »
» Growing Ornamental Plants
Turnips SOW MAR, AUG, SEP harvest MAY, JUN, OCT, NOV Baby turnips have a delicate flavor and add to the variety of young veg you can eat fresh and out of their ‘normal’ season. They do best in soil borders. The tops are edible too, and taste a bit like cabbages or broccoli leaves. Cultivation Read More… »
» Bringing In Butterflies And Attracting Beneficial Insects
Houseplants are vulnerable to red spider mites as they are often kept in a dry atmosphere. Mist the leaves regularly with a fine spray of water to minimize the risk of mite infestation. I ignore the infestation if it’s on my roses. If my nasturtiums are infested, it’s usually time to pull them up. Systemic Read More… »
» Attracting Birds With Berries And Seeds
Wonderful Wildlife IL: VEN IF YOU HAVE a tiny garden in the city or the suburbs, you can L./still design it to attract birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects. A bird enjoying a feast on the bird table you have placed in your garden is a marvellous sight on any lovely day. Attracting birds with IT Read More… »
» Gardening With Annuals
Where to but the tools? YOU CERTAINLY DONT WANT YOUR tool collection to get wet, pilfered, or misused. Although a special corner of the garage is fine for storing tools, as you amass merchandise you may want to consider a tool shed. Sheds come in vinyl, aluminium, steel, or wood. Some tool sheds are quite Read More… »
» Guide To Gardening
Phiddling with your PH What if you find out your soil is not what your plant prefers? Additives are available at most garden centers that can change the pH. You must follow the specific instructions on each container. In general, to lower soil pH (that is, make alkaline soil more acidic), use soil sulphur, iron Read More… »
» Arranging Cut Flowers
Why grow dahlias? Dahlias are frost-tender tubers, with fleshy root structures that look like a bunch of salamis on a string. If you plant them out before the frosts are over, the leaves will die. Like annuals and biennials, dahlias are cut-and come-again flowers. I once spent a summer working in Christopher Lloyd’s garden, Great Read More… »