All posts tagged: Gardeners

UK Gardeners Warned About Hairy Plant-Destroying Pests Flooding Gardens This May

UK Gardeners Warned About Hairy Plant-Destroying Pests Flooding Gardens This May

Published by skeptic

The sun is shining! The bank holiday is within touching distance and I can almost smell my beloved beer garden cider from here. It was a pretty treacherous winter, even for those of us who prefer colder months and millions of us will be racing to spend time in the great outdoors. The great outdoors where we can find sun, people walking their beautiful dogs and, oh, bugs. In fact, the green-thumbed experts at GardeningExpress.co.uk have issued a warning to gardeners and homeowners alike that there is an invasion of bugs spreading throughout the UK. These hairy pests are called Cockchafers and nicknamed the Maybug. They are known to be a nuisance around the garden but, fortunately, are not harmful to humans. Just annoying (with a funny name). What are Cockchafers? Chris Bonnett, founder of GardeningExpress.co.uk, said: “If you’ve sat in the garden on a warm summer evening and suddenly hear a loud, aggressive buzzing noise, it’s likely to be an adult Cockchafer. “The adult bugs will seek plants and flowers but are unlikely to …

Urgent warning to gardeners over jail time and ‘unlimited fine’

Urgent warning to gardeners over jail time and ‘unlimited fine’

Published by Sam

Gardeners are being warned that trimming their hedges may result in an “unlimited fine” and even jail time. As the warmer months creep in, it’s the perfect time to go out and get gardens in presentable condition. However, regardless of your intent, you could be slapped with a hefty fine or worse thanks to a lesser-known law. If you’re thinking about cutting hedges, directly impacting a hedge’s growth while flowering, you may fall foul of an environmental law – reports the Express READ MORE: I stayed at the hidden venue that’s perfect for a couple’s retreat READ MORE: I ate at the restaurant on its way to gaining a Michelin star Farm hedgerows cannot legally be cut between April 1 and August 31 at all, apart from in extreme circumstances, which would require a licence. While it’s technically legal to trim some types of domestic garden hedges at this time of year, if it causes a bird’s nest to be damaged or destroyed – intentionally or otherwise – then you’re still breaking the law. Wood …

Gardener’s three ingredient homemade ‘weed killer’ spray stops them returning for good

Gardener’s three ingredient homemade ‘weed killer’ spray stops them returning for good

Published by Sam

A gardener’s three-ingredient homemade ‘weed killer’ spray is being touted as a permanent solution to pesky garden invaders. If you’re gearing up for some garden grooming as the summer approaches, you’ll likely be facing the common issue of weeds that have taken root during the damp winter months. These unwelcome guests can mar the appearance of any garden space, especially when they sprout between patio slabs. Fortunately, there’s a straightforward and cost-effective method to eradicate these weeds using a simple concoction made from items typically found in your kitchen. This nifty trick was shared on the Mrs Hinch Gardening Tips Facebook group, following a plea for help: “I have numerous weeds coming through my block paving. I’m fed up of weeding them all to be just as bad the next week. Any ideas please? “. Members of the group were quick to respond with their suggestions, with a popular recommendation being a mixture of white vinegar, washing-up liquid, and salt. This blend is said to not only kill the weeds but also prevent their return. …

The best money-saving hacks for gardeners, from a viral expert

The best money-saving hacks for gardeners, from a viral expert

Published by Sam

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Swedish gardener Filip Johansson ditched his job in IT when his love of gardening took off, after he and his brother commandeered a free plot of land where they started growing flowers and vegetables. Today, his passion has gone viral, with nearly 63.2K followers on Instagram alone, who he encourages to try his money-saving, sustainable hacks to successful gardening. He has now written his first book, Garden Hacks, which features 70 tips for gardeners to shortcuts, offering step-by-step instructions on ideas while recycling, saving money and thinking sustainably. Here are a few of his ideas: 1. Make a cardboard weed barrier Cut out a piece of cardboard, cutting through it to the middle to create a hole, then place it around the plant. “It stops weeds from competing with the little seedlings or the plants you have just planted. It works …

UK Gardeners Urged To Battle Slugs With Corrugated Iron

UK Gardeners Urged To Battle Slugs With Corrugated Iron

Published by skeptic

We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how gardeners were discouraged from using slug pellets last year. That’s because the slimy enemies of many a gardener are crucial to our dwindling bird population ― all well and good, but how do you keep them off your brassicas? It turns out that placing a simple sheet of corrugated iron in your lawn could not only keep slugs at bay but also increase your backyard’s biodiversity, per the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). How? Slow worms, which are technically lizards, are a natural predator of slugs. And because they’re reptiles, they’re cold-blooded ― meaning they need a spot to sunbathe. The RSPB suggests that placing a handle on a sheet of corrugated iron, then leaving it in ” a sunny, quiet spot next to long grass or log pile,” could attract slow worms as it provides both cover and a sun-soaking spot for the critters. Other creatures, such as different lizards and grass snakes, may also make a home in the area, they say. …

UK Gardeners Advised To Check For 1 Sign Before Spring Clean Up

UK Gardeners Advised To Check For 1 Sign Before Spring Clean Up

Published by skeptic

After the dull months of winter, it can be hard to resist the urge to get going in your garden as soon as the sun shows up. But just as you shouldn’t cut spring class until it reaches at least the height of a cotton earbud, some also suggest that a spring cleanup ― including raking, cutting, and pruning your lawn ― ought to wait for one crucial sign. In a recent TikTok, gardening enthusiast @Cotille said that the pros in her gardening club are “always talking about how it’s so important not to do Spring cleanup too early.” This is because “all the beneficial bugs are still hibernating, and you want to make sure you’re not disturbing them.” Cotille had the same question, which she says was answered by the “wisdom” of one of her club members. “This woman, she works for the national parks and she was a professor of bird studies, she mentioned… when you start to notice the bugs in your garden, the bees, the whatever, that’s when it’s time to …

UK Gardeners Warned About This Watering Mistake Which Could Ruin Plants

UK Gardeners Warned About This Watering Mistake Which Could Ruin Plants

Published by skeptic

If you’re a keen gardener, you may be looking forward to the coming months as you fill your garden with plants, flowers, and even vegetables – but did you know that you may have actually been watering your plants wrong? Yep, it turns out that there is a right way to water plants and it definitely isn’t just pouring water from a watering can over them the way that some of us are used to doing. So, what is the right way to water plants? According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), there is an art to watering plants, especially if you hope to avoid wasting water and give your plants the best possible chance at flourishing. According to the RHS, the best time to water is in the mornings as this is when the sun rises and plants will start to use water. They added: “The foliage and soil surface is also likely to stay drier for longer than evening watering, discouraging slugs, snails and mildew diseases.” Each individual plant has its own watering …

UK Gardeners Advised To Do These Tasks In April

UK Gardeners Advised To Do These Tasks In April

Published by Sam

Spring has finally arrived! And as the clocks go forward, it seems the garden is leaping out of its sluggish winter routine, too. So, we thought we’d share some of the most important tasks to get going on this month. After all, it’s almost time to go full-on gardening mode. 1) Tackle weeds before they stifle budding and blossoming plants As seedlings take their first vigilant peek out of the soil, weeds can quickly smother them. So hoeing, hand-picking, and even scorching any troublesome plants can help to ensure they get their best shot in life. 2) Start planting Finally, it’s sowing season! Wildflowers, herbs, sweetpeas, brassicas, and potatoes can all get under the ground this month, especially if you’re in the warmer southern parts of the UK. 3) There are still pruning jobs You’d think that with plants making their backyard debut this season, there’s not enough leftover from barren winter to prune. Not the case ― winter jasmine, forsythia, chaenomeles, and other spring-flowering shrubs can likely do with deadheading and pruning to ensure …

UK Gardeners Warned About Mistake That Could Result In £20k Fine

UK Gardeners Warned About Mistake That Could Result In £20k Fine

Published by Sam

The time is finally here. You need to get started on the gardening DIY tasks that you promised yourself you’d do once spring arrived. Spring has indeed sprung and you are all out of excuses, I’m afraid. However, just before you tuck into the seemingly endless to-do list for your garden, it may be worth noting that there are certain rules and regulations around seemingly innocuous gardening tasks that could leave you with up to a £20k fine. Probably not worth it, eh? The fines you could face for gardening DIY Pruning or removing a tree could get you a fine of up to £20,000 According to InYourArea, if a tree is within your property, chances are that you can do whatever you like with it. However, if you share the tree with a neighbour and haven’t asked for their permission to make changes, it could lead to disputes. Additionally, some trees may be protected by a tree protection order (TPO) which makes it an “offence to uproot, top or destroy them” and the “maximum …

UK Gardeners Urged To Take A Cotton Bud To Their Lawn

UK Gardeners Urged To Take A Cotton Bud To Their Lawn

Published by skeptic

As the warmer spring rolls around, gardeners might be gearing up to mow their lawns. But Timothy Greene at icanlawn.com has said that it might be a little too early for some lawns; and cutting them now can even cause some significant damage. “People might be keen to get their gardens sorted in time for spring but mowing your lawn when the grass is too short can cause damage and stop it growing back properly,” he said. There’s actually a specific height at which it’s safe to cut your lawn ― and you can find it by taking a cotton bud to your lawn, Greene says. How? “The ideal height for grass to be before you cut is around 5cm to 7cm, which is around the same height as a cotton earbud,” the lawn expert revealed. “This height means the grass is growing well and is safe to cut. But you should also make sure there’s no frost and the lawn isn’t wet either,” he says. It’s important to make sure that you have your …