Page 16 - News

Hands planting seedlings in a garden bed with lettuce plants, eggshells, and marigold flowers in the background.

Slugs and snails in spring: simple tips to protect your vegetable bed

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

When freshly planted beds look as though they’ve been grazed down overnight, many home gardeners feel defeated - yet with...

Person gardening with trowel and watering can by colourful hollyhocks against a sunlit wall.

Hollyhock (Alcea rosea): the tall flower seen on old façades and walls

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

The hollyhock, scientifically known as Alcea rosea, is often seen growing against façades, boundary walls and older houses across many...

Tabby cat walking in garden with woman crouching near plants in background on a sunny day.

How to Stop Stray Cats Entering Your Garden

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

Stopping stray cats entering your garden is a common concern for anyone who wants to keep the lawn looking smart,...

Person using a screwdriver to install or repair a light switch on a white wall inside a room.

How to Fix a Switch Sinking into the Wall

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

A switch sinking into the wall usually points to loose screws, a wobbly mounting bracket, a poorly secured back box,...

Person harvesting fresh leafy greens and Swiss chard into a wicker basket in a raised garden bed.

Leafy vegetables in the garden: fresh leaves for months

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

If you plan cleverly in spring, you can pick fresh leaves for months - without huge beds, without expert knowledge,...

Scientist in lab coat studying a plant's glowing root system in a glass container in a laboratory setting.

How plants use proteins to sense temperature and drive root growth

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

Plants cannot simply step into the shade or switch on a fan. When the air warms up, they remain where...

Woman cleaning wooden wardrobe doors with cloth in a sunlit bedroom.

How to Remove a Musty Smell in the Wardrobe

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

A musty smell in the wardrobe is usually a sign of a straightforward issue, but one that needs prompt attention....

Person using smartphone to set up or control a robotic lawn mower on a grassy garden lawn.

Mova ViAX 250 review: a wire-free robot lawn mower at 579 euros

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

Launched at 579 euros, the ViAX 250 undercuts the market in the new-generation robot lawn mower segment in a way...

Hands sprinkling coffee grounds around a raspberry plant in a garden bed with eggshells and a colander of raspberries nearby.

A simple cup trick for more raspberries: coffee grounds for raspberry bushes

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

Many home gardeners despair when raspberry bushes are lush and green yet produce hardly any fruit - but a simple...

Person sprinkling baking soda inside a running shoe next to a sports bag on a wooden floor in sunlight

The Baking Powder Trick for Smelly Sports Shoes

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

You unzip your gym bag, still half in work mode, and a warm, stale blend of sweat, plastic and old...

Person planting carrot seeds in a garden bed with a watering can, trowel, and tablet nearby.

Sow Peas and Carrots in April for a Better Summer Harvest

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

If you want a crisp summer harvest, now is not the time to hang about - the sowing window for...

Young woman planting an Asimina seedling in a garden on a sunny day, smiling and kneeling on grass.

Asimina (Pawpaw): why you need two trees for a harvest even at –25 °C

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

A modest young tree, an exotic flavour, icy winters - and one small oversight that decides between a heavy crop...

Person scrubbing moss on terracotta floor tiles using a brush with cleaning foam and water bucket nearby.

Remove Moss from Your Terrace with Vinegar and Bicarbonate of Soda

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

What many people find irritating can be sorted with a simple trick from the kitchen. Anyone with patio slabs, concrete...

Man using pruning shears to carefully remove a bird’s nest with eggs from a garden hedge.

Cutting a Hedge in March: Rules, Timing and Protecting Birds

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

Many amateur gardeners face the same question in March: can you still cut back a hedge now - or will...

Person harvesting radishes from a raised garden bed with green lettuce and gardening tools nearby.

Sow in Mid-April: Vegetables You Can Harvest in Under a Month

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

Sown in mid-April and on the plate just a few weeks later: some vegetables move at a breathtaking pace right...

Person in checked shirt and hat arranging firewood next to a modern wooden cabin with a fireplace inside.

How Many Raummeter of Firewood Do You Need for Winter?

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

If you rely on a wood-burning stove or inset fire to get you through the colder months, the same question...

Person wearing straw hat pruning a blossoming plant outdoors in a garden during daylight.

Pruning in March: What to Cut in the Garden for More Blooms

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

If you reach for the secateurs now, you’re setting the scene for a spectacular flush of flowers. March is far...

Person using a red lawn scarifier on grass near a rake and spilled garden seeds in a sunny yard.

March Lawn Scarifying: The Key to a Greener Summer

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

By the end of winter, a lawn often looks tired: pale, yellowed and patchy. Many people accept it and assume...

Elderly woman preparing a healthy meal with grilled fish, vegetables, and chickpeas in a bright kitchen.

Blue Zones: Why Sardines Beat XXL Salmon for Longevity

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

People who reach a genuinely advanced age rarely do so by following rigid diet plans. Even so, the so-called Blue...

Woman wearing a straw hat pruning hydrangea flowers in a sunny garden with gardening tools nearby

Monty Don’s March Routine for Hydrangeas: More Blooms with One Simple Habit

Oliver Grant • October 7, 2026

Many keen gardeners dutifully water and feed their hydrangeas, then still wonder why the flowering becomes poorer each year. British...

Young man planting earthworms in vegetable garden with basket of fresh peas and gardening tools nearby

Poison-free gardening with open-pollinated varieties, your own seed and living soil

Oliver Grant • October 6, 2026

Spraying without poisons, using your own seed and nurturing living soil: lots of hobby gardeners are making a complete switch...