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Quick Answer A Christmas cactus needs bright, indirect light, watering only once the top 2 to 3cm of compost has dried out, and a half-strength liquid feed once flowering has finished. For autumn flowers, give it six to eight weeks of cooler, darker nights from late September, then keep it settled once buds form. A […]

Quick Answer For most UK gardeners with a power supply, the best greenhouse heater is a thermostat controlled electric fan heater, about 1kW for a 6x8ft greenhouse and 2kW for 8x10ft or larger. Set it to 2 to 5°C for frost protection or 7 to 10°C for tender plants. Use a paraffin heater only where […]

Quick Answer Lift Dahlias about a week after the first frost blackens the foliage, usually late October to mid November. Cut the stems back to 10 to 15cm, fork out the clump and dry the tubers upside down for one to two weeks. Store them in dry compost or vermiculite, frost-free at 5 to 10°C, […]

🌱 Quick Answer Plant Camassia bulbs in September or October, 10 to 15cm deep and 15 to 20cm apart, in sun or light shade. They thrive in heavy clay and soil that’s wet in winter and spring, naturalise in meadows and long grass, and flower in late April to June before coming back year after […]

🌱 Quick Answer English bluebells droop to one side, have narrow leaves, deep violet flowers with curled back tips, cream pollen and a sweet scent. Spanish bluebells stand upright with flowers all round the stem, broad leaves, paler open bells and blue pollen. Plant cultivated English bluebells 10cm deep in autumn, or in the green […]

🌱 Quick Answer Plant Crocus bulbs (technically corms) in September and October, though anything in the ground before Christmas will usually still flower. Set them 8 to 10cm deep, pointed tip up, 5 to 8cm apart in full sun or under deciduous trees. They flower from February to April and come back every year. That’s […]

Quick Answer Plant spring bulbs in pots from September to October, and Tulips in November, at three times the bulb’s height deep. Use a pot with drainage holes, at least 30cm deep, filled with peat-free compost mixed with about 30% grit. Pack the bulbs close together, water in, and leave the pot outside over winter. […]

Quick Answer Plant spring bulbs such as Daffodils, Crocus and Alliums from September to October, and Tulips in November. Summer bulbs like Lilies, Gladioli and Dahlias go in from March to May, and autumn bulbs in July and August. Plant every bulb at three times its own height, pointed end up, in well-drained soil. Every […]

Quick Answer The best time to plant Daffodil bulbs in the UK is September and October, while the soil still holds enough warmth for the roots to establish before winter. November is fine, and you can plant as late as December as long as the ground isn’t frozen. Plant them 15cm deep, pointed end up, […]

Quick Answer Heucheras grow best in partial shade in free-draining soil, planted with the crown level with the surface. Plant in spring or early autumn, mulch without burying the crown, and divide every three to four years in spring. Revive woody, lifting plants by replanting them deeper, and check pot-grown plants for vine weevil grubs. […]