CATEGORIES

Controlling strawberries

Anne Swithinbank’s masterclass on: wayward strawberries

Bring out the baskets

A particularly cold April and early May meant that many people delayed starting their hanging baskets, but early June is a great time to start

Along came a spider...

You may not be an arachnid lover, but the fact is that spiders work hard to keep the bugs at bay, says Bob

Smarter Planting Time

Get a great crop and avoid cauliflower pests

A Gardener's Miscellany

Gardening’s king of trivia and brain-teasers, Graham Clarke

Five-Star Plant Selection

Percy Thrower continues his series with the best bulbs for the garden

Autumn Flower Bombs

Bury some treasure in the ground this month and you will be rewarded with autumn-flowering bulbs that explode with colour

Our houseplant horror!

Ruth deals with an indoor outbreak of vine weevils

Smart watering for containers

Steve and Val Bradley explain how to create a more efficient system to ensure that the roots of young plants in containers get all the water they need

Weeding frenzy!

Val enjoys the birdsong while she tackles the weeds

Growing veg in containers

Q I have given up my allotment, but would still like to grow veg. Do you think doing so in containers is worth the effort and what should I try? Susanna Miller, West Houghton, Greater Manchester

Grape expectations

Vine taming requires patience, a sure hand and vision, but that won’t stop Toby from raising his grape-growing game

Summer Containers

Now is the time to buy plants from garden centres to create instant colour in containers, but which ones are best? Tamsin Hope Thomson has some suggestions

Magical Masterworts

With common names such as masterwort and Hattie’s pincushion, astrantias were once famed for curing ailments. Anne Swithinbank examines these popular perennials

Bargain perennials

Why pay pounds for one plant when you can spend pennies to get lots? If you like that idea, why not try growing perennials from seed, says Graham Rice

Five-Star Plant Selection

Percy Thrower chooses the best bulbs for the garden

Can I save my orchids?

Q.I have a couple of orchids that gave up flowering several years ago and yet cling to life on a cool, lightly shaded windowsill. Can I bring them back to their original glory, or shall I bin them? Eleanor Kendall, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire

Dead-heading extremes

Pansy plant trial at Hyde Hall is a challenge, says Peter

Five-star plant selection

Percy Thrower chooses the best trees and climbers for the garden

New gardening products 2021

Every year sees a raft of new products released onto the gardening market. Here is my pick of equipment and plants for 2021

Thriving damp!

Not every garden can enjoy full sun and some get less light and suffer from damp, but don’t despair! Camilla Phelps reveals the plants that are happy in damp conditions

Surf's up…

Toby’s petunias may have a reputation for trailing, but he’s determined to make them more upwardly mobile

Thinning streak

Want the best tree fruits? Thinning fruitlets helps to fight pests and means crops are bigger and better, says Bob

Single-variety Containers

Why go through the fuss and bother of matching different plants in containers when you can make the perfect display from just one variety, says Graham Rice

Your bank holiday jobs bonanza!

Planting, pest control and pruning; get ready for a busy long weekend says Ruth

Focus On... Forest Gardening

Want the most sustainable harvests, regardless of garden size? Lucy Chamberlain shows you how easy it can be to create a canopy of crops with forest-based growing

Bags Of Lavender

Prized by Egyptians and the Romans, lavender has a special history in Britain as well. Anne Swithinbank offers her choice of the best varieties for you to grow

Five-star plant selection

Percy Thrower looks at the best trees for the garden

The show must go on

Visit the impressive display at Hyde Hall, says Peter

Spring bulb aftercare

Lift if necessary, but always water them says Ruth