Gardening & Plant Care 6 ways to make your back garden a wildlife habitat Your garden’s wildlife needs your help! With many insect and bird populations struggling, we need to do everything we can to support the creatures that share our gardens. Here are our top tips on creating a wildlife habitat in your back garden. Fertilising your lawn Start fertilising your lawn to get that perfect lush green grass to step onto or to have a picnic, garden party or just because you want to admire it from the kitchen window. It is a very easy gardening job to do and one that will be most satisfying when you are proud of your green, healthy lawn. If you don’t want to fertilise your lawn, we have some other ideas for you below as well. How to grow a pineapple plant from a top When you’ve chopped up that fresh pineapple for dessert, don’t throw away the top – you could use it to grow another pineapple plant! With their spiky rosettes of fleshy leaves, pineapple plants make dramatic-looking indoor plants, fitting in perfectly with the trend for growing succulents. And if you’re lucky (and very patient), you might even be able to harvest your very own pineapple. Sowing colourful annuals Start sowing colourful annuals as soon as the weather warms up and the soil temperature is also a little warmer, but if you can’t wait, some can be sown undercover. A few hardy annuals prefer to be sown directly in the soil where they are to grow. Either way, annuals make a great addition to any garden with so many varieties to choose from, an array of colours and many that are great for cutting to put into a vase. Here are some of our favourites to sow and grow, including a few sowing tips. Mulch your garden It’s helpful to mulch your garden for many reasons. Mulch can do a great job of retaining moisture in the soil for your plants and even keeps weeds down as well. Using the right mulch will help improve your soil for healthy, thriving plants while reducing evaporation, which is especially good for dry soils, and maintaining a regular temperature. Cooling in the summer and keeping warm during the colder months. 8 great ornamental grasses to grow Ornamental grasses add so much to a garden, bringing borders to life with their airy flower stems, softening paving and edging borders. There are grasses for sunny spots and grasses that will grow happily in part shade. Here are a few of our favourite ornamental grasses and how to care for them. How to test your soil pH This how to test your soil pH guide will give you all of the information you need to know your soil better. Without good soil and knowing exactly what type and PH it is, your plants may not thrive so well. Plants for shady gardens Shady gardens are sometimes seen as a problem, but this doesn’t have to be true. Shady gardens can be just as beautiful as those blessed with sunshine. The emphasis is all on foliage shapes, textures, and the subtle colours of shade-loving plants in the shade. With the right plants, you can turn a shady garden into a cool, tranquil haven to relax in. Top plants for children to grow These top plants for children to grow will get them interested in gardening and growing their own food in no time. It is so important to teach children the importance of plants and where their food comes from, so getting started at home is ideal. Even a sunny windowsill will do! Here are some plants that will get kids interest in gardening stirred. Top houseplant care tips These top houseplant care tips have been put together for you to help your houseplants thrive. Or, if you are new to houseplants they will give you the confidence you need to get started and know some basic top tips to start your collection of houseplants. Once you get one, you will undoubtedly get more! There are some general key points when looking after houseplants that will help you and we believe no home should be without plants. How to grow blueberries Packed full of vitamin C and antioxidants, blueberries are both healthy and delicious. They’re also surprisingly easy to grow, and very ornamental, with pretty flowers in spring and beautiful autumn foliage. You don’t need lots of space to grow blueberries – a big pot in a sunny place will do. Edible flowers to grow Start deciding which edible flowers to grow as early as possible in the year so you can plan and make sure you have the seeds or plants available and that your soil is prepared, ready to sow and plant at the right time of year. It is a great experience growing edible flowers because they look great in the garden and provide nectar for pollinators and pick some for home-cooked food, cocktails, and even medicines. Here are four things you should keep in mind when you decide to grow edible flowers. Previous 1 373839404142 44 Next Do you have gardening or plant questions? Ask the team
