If you’re looking to create a nice, calming focal point in your garden then you can’t go wrong with a water feature. From the garden designs of Ancient Greece to the magnificent fountains of Renaissance Italy, water has long been…
A weather station is a device that collects data on the weather and environment using sensors. They can predict the weather and display current conditions outside. Recent years have seen digital stations getting smaller, smarter and cheaper. Now they are…
When the weather warms up as it is about to do in the coming months, many people turn their focus to the outdoors and to gardening. However, while outdoor gardening can be a very rewarding hobby, you can also turn…
With the right environment and soil it’s possible to grow many bulbs, corms and tubers indoors. Different species require different conditions, so check the packaging they came in or do some research.
As a rule of thumb, most require a…
Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are reliable, companionable and easy to keep plants. Popular in the 70s and 80s, they are now seeing a well deserved revival. They’re quick growing, putting out wiry stems in the spring and summer which have…
Basil is one of the most aromatic and recognisable herbs, and a key ingredient in much Italian cooking. It grows wild in southern Europe, but it actually originated in India, where it’s considered sacred. According to wikipedia, the word basil…
As with growing most plants from seed, hedge your bets. You’re not expecting every single seed to produce a whopping great basil plant, so expect to lose some along the way. But if you sow enough seeds, you improve your…
When basil flowers appear, pinch them off. This encourages the plant to put its energy into producing leaves instead.
It’s difficult to keep basil going in the winter because of the lack of sunshine and chance of frost. Your plant…
Tired looking plant?
Sprinkle some dried, ground up eggshell around the plant on top of the soil. Do this after about a year, and then repeat every year. This will refresh the plant.
White powdery mildew on the surface of…
It’s usually best to take cutting in late autumn or early winter.
Cut a 2 inch stem for new growth on a well established plant. Snip off the bottom leaves rather than pull them off.
Dip the bottom tip into…
Rosemary is a wonderfully fragrant and useful herb. It’s an evergreen perennial shrub, and a member of the mint (Labiatae) family. Its Latin name Rosmarinus officinalis means ‘dew of the sea’, as in the wild it grows within reach of…
Growing fruit indoors seems a bit strange but it’s perfectly doable if you have a nice sunny window and the right container. Strawberries and raspberries, for example, are quite suited to life in a hanging basket or barrel, while indoor…
Easy peasy. Snip the babies off at the end of the long stalk and either root them in water or soil/compost.
Water is the quickest way to get roots, and you simply submerge the bottom of the spider plant cutting…
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As with other root veg, potatoes need a deep container if you’re going to grow them indoors. You can either buy seed potatoes or simply use any you have around that are sprouting.
Potatoes need a lot of light if…
Companion planting is about using one species to benefit another. Some herbs are a natural deterrent for pests and diseases, or can improve the growth and flavour of other plants. The following table is a list of herbs and their…
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Plants tend to like humidity so it makes sense to grow some in your bathroom. On the other hand, it’s often a room with higher temperatures and lower levels of light than the rest of the house, which makes it…
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Chives make a great addition to plenty of meals. They are a hardy herb that don’t need fertilising, and will even tolerate a bit of neglect, which is a comfort if you’re new to indoor gardening.
You need…
a herb…
Orchids are absolutely beautiful, and make great indoor plants. They can withstand the dry heat of central heating, and so suit a warm room (a bedroom or lounge).
If you’re a new gardener, start by buying a plant from a…
Indoor Gardener