Welcome to the 10 minute gardener for late summer, looking at quick gardening jobs you can fit into a busy schedule.We’re at that stage of summer where all the hard work in the garden should be really paying off, in the form of healthy plants and lots of flowers to enjoy. I think this part of the year is actually quite lazy, with an emphasis on sitting back and enjoying the view, but there are still a few jobs that are worth ticking off the ...
Ways to Ensure Your Home Sells Fast
Looking to move house? This guest post has lots of house selling tips for making the process as speedy as possible.There are some circumstances in life that mandate a move, whether you want to or not. For example, imagine you just received news that you’re in line for the promotion for which you have worked so hard. There’s only one caveat: the job opening is in another location. You have to move, and you have to move now. Can you sell your ...
Holiday houseplant care: how to keep them alive!
With the end of the school term fast approaching, I bet lots of us are counting down the days to a long-awaited summer holiday. And with that comes the inevitable pre-holiday organising. Last-minute shopping, packing lists and pet care arrangements probably spring straight to mind, but if you’ve got any houseplants, you also need a plan for keeping them alive while you’re away. Most houseplants will be able to tolerate neglect for a few days, ...
What to plant now – July
We’re into the height of summer now, and you probably think it’s a bad idea to start off seedlings when there is such a high risk of failure due to the hot, dry conditions we (hopefully!) get at this time of year. You’re right to a certain extent, but there are still some crops that you can sow for harvesting later on in the summer. And I know none of us want to think about it yet, but now is also a good time to make a start on crops that you ...
Summer garden makeover ideas with T J Hughes
Aren’t we having the most glorious summer at the moment? I’m writing this post with the windows open and the sun streaming in, and I’m thinking I really must sort out some shade for my laptop screen so that I can write out in the garden. I’m desperate to make the most of the season when it’s so glorious out there - particularly after the extra-long cold start we had to the year! Spending more time outdoors in the garden always gives me a ...
Tips for effective summer garden watering
Having spent the last few months coaxing seeds and plants to grow, everything in the garden and allotment is now shooting off at a crazy speed. Suddenly it feels as if I’m in a race to provide the plants with what they need in order to thrive.Watering forms a big part of this job; with the summer months upon us and plants growing so fast, the demand for water is at it’s peak. Providing your plants with adequate water at this time of year ...
What You Need to Consider Before Buying a Set of Bi-Fold Doors
Decided to purchase a new set of bi-folding doors for your home? This guest post outlines a few important things you need to consider before parting with your cash.Bi-folding doors are perfect for both small and large properties, regardless of whether they’re traditional or contemporary. They’re also ideal for opening up your home to plenty of natural night, bringing the outside world in and providing easy access to your garden. However, it’s ...
Gardening for Nature: easy ways to create a bee-friendly garden
If you’re interested in gardening and nature you’re probably aware that bees are in trouble, with numbers and species in quite dramatic decline. What you might not be aware of is just how important bees are to us and the planet in general.Bees don’t just make honey and give us a lovely sound in the garden on summer afternoons. Bees are vital for the pollination of plants - including food crops - and this insect family which is ...
7. The 10 minute gardener: quick summer gardening jobs
Welcome to the latest post in this series, looking at quick gardening jobs you can fit into a busy schedule. This time I'm looking at ways to stay on top of your summer garden.Things have certainly warmed up in the last couple of weeks, and I’m really enjoying my garden now the summer plants are bursting into life. I think the ‘little and often’ approach is best for gardening at this time of year; keeping on top of the garden through little ...
Plant care tips for containers
The world of plant care can be more than a little bewildering, can’t it? Unless you’re a gardening expert, it can be tricky working out just what you need to do (or not do!) to make sure your indoor and outdoor plants thrive. I love gardening, but that certainly doesn’t mean I’ve got the plant care right every time; in fact I’ve had many disasters over the years. I’ve also had lots of times where my plants thrived but I didn’t really know why, ...