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Docks (Rumex spp.) are a common and persistent weed problem in grasslands, posing a threat to agricultural productivity and overall pasture quality. Knowing the right stage to spray docks is crucial in effectively controlling their growth and preventing them from taking over your grassland. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the optimal stage of …

At What Stage of Growth Should I Spray Docks in Grassland? A Comprehensive Guide for Farmers Read More »

I’ve spent countless hours behind the wheel of a tractor, guiding it across fields and working the land. One of the most important aspects of farming is knowing how to properly match your tractor’s horsepower to the size of your plough. Choosing the right tractor and plough combination ensures efficient and effective work, while minimizing …

What Horsepower Does My Tractor Need to Pull a Plough? matching weight, traction and power for ploughing Read More »

The purpose of this article is to outline what are the best conditions for ginger root to grow. Ginger is one of those plants which provides so many benefits to the body and is excellent in many foods and drinks. One of the biggest challenges when using ginger is that we can get access to …

What Are The Best Conditions For Ginger Root To Grow? top 5 tips! Read More »

Swedes are a very tasty winter vegetable, they are planted in late spring and harvested in Autumn. Harvesting the swedes is straightforward- the big question is how to store swedes? As winter ends it is important to harvest and store any swedes still in the ground, as they will soon begin to bolt and produce …

How To Store Swedes: big tips for long storage Read More »

It always seems a waste to throw food of any sort into the bin, especially vegetables if you have pets or animals around the home. One of the questions I am often asked is if it is ok to feed potato skins to your pets/animals. In this article, we look at if we can feed …

Can Chickens Eat Potato Skins? important information Read More »

Asparagus is a healthy and nutritious addition to your diet. It is low in calories, with only 20 calories in a ½ cup serving, provides a good source of fiber, is high in antioxidants, and is a good source of vitamins A, C, and K. This perennial vegetable does take a few years to become …

How Much Asparagus Per Person: recommended amounts to serve or to grow Read More »

If you own a property, you probably have one or more areas that seem to stay soggy or damp. While this may seem like nothing more than an annoyance, it can quickly become a serious problem. Overly saturated soil could spell disaster for your home’s foundation, basement, and garden. The good news is, however, that you …

How To Install A Land Drain: big changes required Read More »

All plants need moisture to grow, but too much water can do more harm than good. If your plant’s soil remains wet and soggy for an extended period, the plant will suffer and eventually die. Drying out the soil quickly isn’t always easy, but there are several techniques below to help you find a way …

How To Dry Wet Soil Fast: quick solutions Read More »

Swedes were first discovered growing in Sweden when a botanist called Gaspard Bauhin found them growing wild in 1620. This article discusses 5 popular varieties so you can decide which is the best swede variety to grow. They are also referred to as Rutabaga in US and Turnip in the UK, although they are much …

Which Is The Best Swede Variety To Grow? top 5 varieties characteristics Read More »

Onions are usually planted in spring as bulbs. They are ready to harvest in late summer/autumn. You can either harvest your onions when they reach your desired size or you can let them grow until the plant stops growing. Knowing when to harvest onions is very helpful information as you may be tempted to let …

When To Harvest Onions: top tips for success Read More »

There are many different types of worms in the world, but for the most part, when talking about the worms we find in the soil in our garden, allotment and fields are earthworms. So let’s find out – what do worms eat? What do worms eat? Earthworms eat organic matter like leaves, grass, fruit, vegetables, …

What Do Worms Eat? an earthworm’s favourite foods! Read More »

This article will show you how to make the best homemade fertilizer for carrots to save you the trip, and expense, more importantly, broaden your knowledge and self-sufficiency Carrots like all vegetables need a basic amount of nutrients to grow well. Most soils in home gardens, allotments, and fields will require some if not all …

Best Homemade Fertilizer For Carrots Read More »

Many gardeners associate mushroom growth with dead and decaying organic matter and may even try to eradicate them from the garden thinking they are bad for the soil. But this notion isn’t based on science. While it is true mushrooms do sprout in areas rich with dead organic matter, they aren’t doing damage to your …

Are Mushrooms Producers Or Decomposers: and what’s the difference? Read More »

There is a lot of confusion in mainstream circles over the difference between swedes and turnips. Swedes and turnips are just different species in the brassica family. So naturally, they have similar growth patterns and shapes that make these two root crops easily confused. So let’s find out, what are the differences between turnips and …

What Are The Differences Between Turnips and Swedes: two great root crops! Read More »

Growing cover crops for gardens is one of the most important tools in the organic gardener’s toolbox. Although it might seem wasteful to grow plants that you won’t eat, the benefits to your garden are well worth it. Cover crops protect the soil, help improve soil structure and provide you with all the organic matter …

Cover Crops For Gardens: a great strategy! Read More »

Managing and shifting soil pH is one of the more technical skills you need to learn as a gardener. We have a great article about making the soil more alkaline, but what if you only need to shift the pH by 1? Sometimes only a small shift is necessary. In this article, I’ll teach you …

How Much Lime To Raise pH 1 Point: lime types, amount, and how long it takes Read More »

Aged farm animal manure is one of the most valuable ingredients you can bring to your garden. It is arguably the most important addition to your soil, which is why it lovingly goes by the term ‘black gold’. Manure is so important for the health of your garden that every gardener should feel comfortable adding …

How To Add Manure To Your Vegetable Garden: which type, how much, and when? Read More »

Water chestnuts are delicious tubers, which are primarily cultivated and eaten in China. Normally found canned at the supermarket, it’s possible to grow water chestnuts yourself. All you need is a starter plant, a bucket, soil, water, and some patience. Let’s find out how to grow water chestnuts! Keep in mind that it is a …

How To Grow Water Chestnuts: easy to grow lots at home! Read More »

Sphagnum moss, also referred to as peat moss, is one of the most common soil amendments for gardeners. This versatile material is cheap and can be used in garden beds, pots, terrariums, and even hanging baskets. In this article, I’ll show you how to grow sphagnum moss at home so you’ll always have some at …

How To Grow Sphagnum Moss: what it is, growing your own, types and uses Read More »

As plant parents, we’re usually preoccupied with making sure our plants are getting enough water. Not so many gardeners realize, however, how is over irrigation damaging to soil. Probably because it’s counter-intuitive. Over-watering produces the same signs as under-watering. I know my alarm bells go off when I see a plant in my garden that …

How Is Over Irrigation Damaging To Soil Read More »

Gardening can be a challenge, but sterilizing soil has been offered up as a solution for various challenges. By learning how to sterilize soil, you can kill weed roots, get rid of fungi and pests, and more. There are pros and cons to sterilizing soil, so it’s important to know when and how to take …

How To Sterilize Soil: how to make your own Read More »

Curious about how Christmas trees are grown? Considering if you could grow your own Christmas tree? Well, you might be wondering how long does it take to grow a Christmas tree? Instead of buying one – you could grow one…….maybe. In general, it takes about 8 years to grow a Christmas tree to 6 feet. …

How Long Does It Take To Grow A Christmas Tree Read More »

How long it takes for a tree to grow depends entirely on the type of tree, the specific variety, and their growing conditions. Each tree will take its own time and generally takes a couple of decades.However, there are general guidelines that will help you determine how many years until your tree has reached maturity. …

How Long Does It Take For A Tree To Grow? Read More »

Have you ever noticed that your vegetables seem to be growing slowly? Plants don’t grow overnight but you should be able to notice growth from week to week. If you aren’t noticing much growth and development from one week to the next, something might be wrong. There are lots of reasons why your vegetables are …

Why Are My Vegetables Growing Slowly? Read More »

Perennial vegetables are those that come back year after year without replanting. Their long lifecycles make them well worth the initial effort and patience. Asparagus patches, for example, can last up to one hundred years. The permanent nature of perennial vegetables allows me to enjoy harvests almost year-round, build up soil structure, and adds an …

What are Perennial Vegetables: 5 Great Examples Read More »

Ericaceous compost will be your strongest ally when growing acid-loving plants. Gardeners usually struggle to grow these types of plants because if the soil pH is too high, they simply won’t grow or will become extremely weak. . By the end of this article, you’ll know lots about ericaceous compost – why it’s important, how …

What is Ericaceous Compost: how do I use it? Read More »

Dandelions are perennial weeds that die off in the winter and return bigger and stronger than ever in the spring. The cheery yellow flowers quickly go to seed and form a puffball of seeds that are then carried to new locations in the wind. In this article, we will learn how to get rid of dandelions …

How To Get Rid Of Dandelions Read More »

Asparagus is an extremely nutritious and delicious gourmet perennial vegetable. You can grow asparagus from seed or cuttings, they are low maintenance and come back year after year. Asparagus patches can live for up to 30 years and some gardeners have even reported 100-year-old asparagus patches! The biggest drawback to growing your own asparagus is …

How To Grow Asparagus From Cuttings Read More »

If you have ever grown tomatoes only to discover they are suddenly afflicted with blossom end rot just as the fruit ripens, you already know how important calcium in the soil is to plant growth. What you might not know is that putting sea shells in garden soil will provide your plants with a ready …

Sea shells In Garden soil: improving your soil Read More »

Turnips are a fast-growing root crop that is ideally suited for beginner gardeners. They are also perfect crops for the times between seasons when temperatures are warm during the day and cold at night. This is also a time when garden beds are empty or sparse. So when should you sow turnips? Depending on the …

When Should You Sow Turnips? Read More »

Vegetable gardening can be a fun rewarding hobby, but there can also be many frustrations. While cultivating our desired plants, we are also creating an environment for pests and weeds. Weeds can be eliminated once they grow or prevented from taking root in the first place by creating an environment that is hostile to them. …

How To Prevent Weeds In A Vegetable Garden Read More »

Despite appearances, soils are filled with life. This life under the ground is part of a soil food web that decomposes organic matter, makes nutrients available, and ultimately enables plants to grow. The key to this are microbes -but what are soil microbes? Even though we can’t see them, soil microbes are impressively abundant and …

What Are Soil Microbes: an introduction Read More »

A broadfork is an agricultural tool used to aerate the soil. Broadforks are an alternative to tilling the soil since they don’t break up the soil structure and are fairly easy to use. Once you get in the hang of it, working with a broadfork is super fun – like an adult jungle gym.  Have …

What is a Broadfork: how and why to use one Read More »

Growing a vegetable garden is a rewarding and relaxing pastime. However, everyone can agree that a green thumb may not come automatically to every wannabe gardener. Successful gardeners know the answer to this question: is leaf compost good for vegetable gardens?. What is leaf compost? Leaf compost is the by-product when tree leaves and other …

Is Leaf Compost Good For Vegetable Gardens? Read More »

To get that perfectly formed carrot, it’s important to grow them in sandy soil. While sandy soil is best for growing carrots, it’s not a very common soil type in gardens. This means that to get a perfectly shaped carrot, you’ll want to invest in preparing a garden bed for this specific purpose. In this …

How To Make Sandy Soil For Carrots Read More »

What are sweet potatoes? The delicious sweet potato is a plant that belongs to the bindweed family. A root vegetable, oddly shaped and has a sweet-tasting flesh. It is a starchy vegetable and has many health benefits. In many cultures, the leaves and shoots of the plants are eaten as greens. The orange variety of …

How Many Sweet Potatoes In A Pound? Read More »

In January 2020 I decided with much pushing from my eldest son Harry that we should buy our own 2wd Fiat tractor to help with soil preparation, sowing, and harvesting of turnips (swedes). This article documents the journey of our first Fiat tractor restoration. We previously used Ferguson TE20’s or MF35x’s owned by Harry’s grandad. …

Fiat Tractor Restoration: 1987 Fiatagri 90-90 Read More »

Sweet potatoes like to be grown in warmer soil, unlike regular potatoes that prefer cool soil. This is because they are tropical plants, and can become sensitive to cold weather. The sweet potato is rich in an antioxidant called beta carotene which is effective in raising blood levels of vitamin A. They are very nutritious …

How Long Do Sweet Potatoes Take To Grow? Read More »

Rhododendrons are native to Asia, North America, Australia and Europe. There are over 1,000 species of this plant and they are widely cultivated for their beautiful and fragrant flowers with ornamental leaves. Understanding what type of soil rhododendrons like is essential if you are planning on growing these beautiful plants. The flowers have a funnel, …

What Type Of Soil Do Rhododendrons Like? Read More »

Even though it might seem super easy to take care of a plant baby from a distance, unfortunately, they don’t cry or make a noise when hungry or uncomfortable – which does happen! A frequent question I’m asked is, how often should I fertilize my plants? It can be challenging to know when to fertilize …

How Often Should I Fertilize My Plants? Read More »

Sweet potatoes are definitely worth considering as part of your diet. They are packed with minerals, fibre, vitamins and phytonutrients which can improve your body and mind.You can use sweet potatoes boiled, baked or raw. They also can be used in desserts, breads, stir-fries and casseroles. Do you know how many sweet potato plants grow from …

How Many Sweet Potatoes Grow From One Plant? Read More »

Weeds are really annoying, especially when you’ve been trying your best to make the most of your flower beds. It might feel impossible to get rid of weeds, but it can happen and you can do it with a few simple strategies. Growing flowers or vegetables in a raised bed is better than any normal …

Preventing Weeds In Raised Beds Read More »

Container gardening is all the rage. You can liven up walls, fences and gates with beautiful trailing foliage and stunning blooms. And if you plan to add hanging baskets to your garden display this year, you can’t go wrong with petunias. These cheery garden favourites are available in a dazzling array of colours, sizes and …

How Many Petunias Per Hanging Basket: The Facts Read More »

Native to Northeast Asia, hostas have become popular with gardeners the world over. And everyone is asking: when is the best time to plant hostas? In this article, we’ll answer that question and many more! First of all, why hostas? Not only are there a vast range of cultivars to choose from, with leaves in …

When Is the Best Time To Plant Hostas? Read More »

Using peat-free products in the home and garden is one of the simplest yet most effective ways that people can make a positive environmental impact and reduce their carbon footprint. For most uses in the garden, for example, pots, growbags, hanging baskets, digging into or tidying up flowerbeds, peat-free alternatives are just as good as …

What Can I Use Instead of Peat Moss: Great Alternatives Read More »

Microbes. Microscopic organisms that live absolutely everywhere on the planet – from the ocean floor to the highest levels of the atmosphere. And those that live in soil – as tiny as they are – can have a huge effect on your plants. In just a teaspoon of soil, you can find hundreds of nematodes, …

How Do Soil Microbes Affect Nutrients? Read More »

Hedges are one of the most common features in many prestigious and established neighborhoods. Because of their versatility – coming in a variety of sizes, shapes, and even species – they can fit beautifully into almost any landscape. But shaggy, overgrown hedges are far from beautiful. Regardless of their sizes, or whether they’re evergreen or …

Best Time to Cut Hedges Back: when and how Read More »

For hundreds of years, boxwood hedges have graced formal gardens in Europe and the Americas. Overall, these hardy shrubs require little upkeep. But they need proper trimming – at the proper time – in order to look their best! Not everyone knows how to care for their boxwood or at what time of year do …

What Time of Year Do You Trim Box Hedges? Read More »

Of all the “Big 3” soil ingredients, the least understood is definitely potassium. While the effect of potassium on plants is fairly clear – we can see that it improves how well a plant grows and produces – exactly why and how it works is not as well-known. This article addresses the issue of how …

How To Increase Potassium in Soil Read More »

It’s safe to say that a successful garden begins with good soil. And while you may think that dirt is just dirt, all soils aren’t created equal. What are the differences between the various types of soil and which is the best? The truth is that there isn’t really one best soil – in fact, …

Is There A Difference Between Potting Soil And Topsoil? Read More »

While snagging the last 2 bags of potting soil in the garden center, you begin to frantically calculate in your head. And no matter how you work it out, you’ll barely have half the soil you need for your plant containers? So what do you do now? What can you do? Sure, you could hit …

Can I Reuse Old Potting Soil (And How To Do It)? Read More »

Container gardening is become more and more popular. Planting in containers (that you can place on top of a stand or table) makes it easier to reach the plants without bending over and straining your back. And they’re not just for apartment dwellers anymore! Even gardeners with plenty of outdoors space are starting gardens on …

How Much Soil Is Needed For A Raised Bed? Read More »

Raise your hand if you took up gardening during lockdown. For some people, growing their own fruit and vegetables guaranteed them fresh produce amid dwindling grocery store supplies. For others, gardening was a way to get outdoors for a little fresh air and exercise. Whatever your reason, welcome to the club. Now, raise your hand …

How To Improve Your Soil For Gardening Read More »

In recent months, gardening has emerged as a leading pastime for many people in lockdown situations all over the world. For people living in urban areas with small garden areas, or those in apartments and condominiums whose only outdoor space is a small balcony, container garden can be a great option. And, while vegetables and …

How Do You Take Care Of A Potted Hibiscus Plant Read More »