Unhealthy weed killing?
The future of commonly-used weedkiller glyphosate is less certain following a court ruling in the USA which ordered one of the biggest manufacturers, Monsanto, to pay $289 million (£226 million) in damages to a man who claimed glyphosate caused his cancer. Claimant Dewayne Johnson worked as a groundsman in California and regularly used glyphosate-based weedkillers during his work. He was diagnosed [...]
What to do in your garden in September 5
The gardening year is turning to its last dazzling farewell display of autumn colour soon, so it’s time to shake yourself out of the torpor of late summer and get going again. There’s loads to do outside from gathering crops to putting the garden to bed for winter. Here’s your list of jobs for this month: General tasks Scarify, aerate [...]
A bumper haul of berries
The Royal Horticultural Society is predicting a bumper haul of berries this autumn, as a warm and dry start to the year has combined with summer rains to create optimum conditions for berries to form. The charity says the ideal weather means berries have ripened early, making them less susceptible to autumn rots and moulds which can sometimes blight berries [...]
Autumn container plants
Plant up autumn containers nowto fill your patio with colour and interest through till winter and beyond. Keep your pots looking great as the garden winds down and you’ll still feel as good about your displays once the frosts set in as you do now. The secret is to target plants which look great through the autumn season. Pop into [...]
Dry and store chillies
Dry and store chillies as soon as they’ve coloured up fully. By now they’ll have developed their full heat and flavour and as soon as the temperature starts to drop they’ll need harvesting before the cold weather sets in. Thin-skinned chillies like cayennes and jalapenos can be dried and strung into pretty necklaces, to hang up in your kitchen and use [...]
Plant of the Week: Rudbeckia
Prairie planting, combining tall, easy-to-manage daisies with airy, graceful grasses, is as on-trend as ever. And if you want the look for your own garden, buttery yellow rudbeckias are among the very best plants to include, long-lasting and brilliantly colourful for weeks on end. The tallest varieties, like ‘Herbstonne’, can reach a magnificent 2m, but for most gardens, a mid-height [...]