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Quick Answer For most UK gardens you need three feeds. A seaweed based tonic such as envii SeaFeed Xtra for general plant health, a balanced NPK feed like Growmore or fish, blood and bone for hungry beds and vegetable plots, and a specialist feed for anything that needs it, meaning an ericaceous feed for rhododendrons […]

Quick Answer Gardening with arthritis or a bad back is still possible with a few thoughtful changes. A kneeler with handles, angled hand tools, ratchet secateurs and a raised bed built to a comfortable height remove most of the bending and gripping that causes pain, letting you garden in shorter, kinder sessions. Over the years […]

Quick Answer Peat compost is unsustainable because it is stripped from ancient peat bogs that take thousands of years to form, releasing stored carbon and destroying rare wetland habitats in the process. Good peat-free alternatives include homemade compost, wool and bracken compost, coir, bark and green waste blends. Each behaves a little differently to peat, […]

Quick Answer A hori hori is a Japanese gardening knife with a curved blade, one sharp edge, and one serrated edge that makes weeding, planting, and digging an absolute doddle. It replaces at least three other tools (trowel, weeder, and knife) whilst being sharp enough to slice through roots and tough weeds without creating craters […]

Quick Answer Niwaki and Okatsune secateurs give the sharpest, cleanest cut and the best feel in the hand, but need regular cleaning and oiling to stay rust free. Felco secateurs are slightly less razor sharp out of the box, but their replaceable parts, huge UK service network, and low maintenance make them the practical choice […]

Quick Answer Glazed ceramic pots hold moisture best and suit shade or thirsty planting, resin and composite pots are the lightest option for balconies and roof gardens, galvanised metal and zinc bring a durable industrial look, and wooden planters give the best insulation for raised beds and permanent features. Stone, faux lead, self-watering and recycled […]

Quick Answer Olive trees grow successfully in the UK in a sunny, sheltered position with free-draining soil or gritty compost. Most varieties tolerate light frost down to around minus five degrees Celsius, but containers should be moved into a porch, greenhouse or against a sheltered wall during hard winters. Prune lightly in spring to maintain […]

Quick Answer Prune gooseberries twice a year for the best crops. In winter, while the bush is dormant, remove dead and crossing wood, take out a third of the oldest stems and shorten the rest by a third to create an open goblet shape. In late June, trim the current season’s side shoots back to […]

Quick Answer Prune forsythia immediately after flowering finishes, usually in April. Cut back flowered stems to a strong new shoot lower down, remove around a fifth of the oldest stems at the base, and thin out crowded growth in the centre of the shrub. Never prune in autumn or winter, since you will cut off […]

Quick Answer A DIY sedum green roof for a garden shed costs roughly £40 to £85 per square metre and takes about a weekend to fit. Build a tanalised timber frame with a 3cm lip, fit a waterproof membrane and protective fleece, add a thin layer of free draining substrate, then lay pre-grown sedum blankets […]