Latest news with #JackStooks
Scottish Sun
21-06-2025
- Climate
- Scottish Sun
I'm a royal gardener, important task will help your plants adapt to the heat and when it's time for the ‘Chelsea chop'
While it is important to water plants in hot weather, it is also important to know when GREEN DAYS I'm a royal gardener, important task will help your plants adapt to the heat and when it's time for the 'Chelsea chop' IT'S not just us humans that need to adapt to the warmer weather, the plants in your garden will need to adjust too. With temperatures soaring across the UK this weekend, former royal gardener Jack Stooks has opened up to Genting Casino about the hot weather jobs that could save your plot. 1 Jack Stooks who previously worked for the King shares his top tips Credit: Getty Jack - who previously worked for King Charles at Highgrove for over two decades - also shares insight into the 'Chelsea Chop' method, and why it's important for maintaining plants. Read on to discover how to get your garden summer-ready… Plant feeding In June, much of the focus will be on staking plants and keeping them well watered. You might also start feeding your pot plants around this time, as you'll likely notice things beginning to grow in the pots. When to water As we've had fairly dry weather in recent weeks, it's important to water your garden either in the mornings or evenings. The plants aren't yet at the stage where you're supporting them with stakes - for example, all the roses in my garden are still quite low - so they may struggle in the heat. I'd avoid overwatering, as the goal is to help the plants adapt to having less water. That said, you still need to water them, otherwise they'll just die. The main priority is making sure everything is well watered. The 'Chelsea Chop' Around this time of year is normally what gardeners refer to as the Chelsea Chop, which is when certain herbaceous plants get a little bit big and you have to chop them down. This helps them come back a lot bushier and helps to control the size of the plant, shape, and flowering time. 6 ways to get rid of slugs and snails In weather like this, it's often not necessary, as the plants haven't grown as much - but it an important task to be aware of.
The Sun
21-06-2025
- Climate
- The Sun
I'm a royal gardener, important task will help your plants adapt to the heat and when it's time for the ‘Chelsea chop'
IT'S not just us humans that need to adapt to the warmer weather, the plants in your garden will need to adjust too. With temperatures soaring across the UK this weekend, former royal gardener Jack Stooks has opened up to Genting Casino about the hot weather jobs that could save your plot. 1 Jack - who previously worked for King Charles at Highgrove for over two decades - also shares insight into the 'Chelsea Chop' method, and why it's important for maintaining plants. Read on to discover how to get your garden summer-ready… Plant feeding In June, much of the focus will be on staking plants and keeping them well watered. You might also start feeding your pot plants around this time, as you'll likely notice things beginning to grow in the pots. When to water As we've had fairly dry weather in recent weeks, it's important to water your garden either in the mornings or evenings. The plants aren't yet at the stage where you're supporting them with stakes - for example, all the roses in my garden are still quite low - so they may struggle in the heat. I'd avoid overwatering, as the goal is to help the plants adapt to having less water. That said, you still need to water them, otherwise they'll just die. The main priority is making sure everything is well watered. The 'Chelsea Chop' Around this time of year is normally what gardeners refer to as the Chelsea Chop, which is when certain herbaceous plants get a little bit big and you have to chop them down. This helps them come back a lot bushier and helps to control the size of the plant, shape, and flowering time. 6 ways to get rid of slugs and snails In weather like this, it's often not necessary, as the plants haven't grown as much - but it an important task to be aware of. Gardening mistakes that could get you fined Gardening experts over at Toolstation have revealed the garden laws you need to be aware of not breaking. While some of these laws could land you with a fine of up to £20,000 in extreme cases, a friendly chat with your neighbours can usually resolve any issues. Tree removal and pruning: If you have a tree in your garden you want to get rid of you better think twice and do your research. The gardening experts reveal: 'If one neighbour wishes to remove or heavily prune a tree that the other neighbour values, disputes can arise over the impact on the view, shade, or privacy. " While it might cause a row, if it is in your property boundary it is ultimately your choice, unless it has a Tree Protection Order on it. 'But, some trees may be protected by a Tree Protection Order which makes it an offence to uproot, top or destroy them, the experts warn. The maximum fine for breaking this law is £20,000, so make sure you double check if it does have a TPO. You can find out by contacting your local council for a map that shows this information. Alternatively, you can ask to speak with your local tree officer. Property boundaries and fences: One of the main causes of neighbours falling out is through arguing over property boundaries and fencing. To avoid this situation, the gardening pros recommend checking the deeds of your property to determine the correct boundaries 'Most of the time, it's easy to determine who owns the fence as the fence posts will usually be on the owners side," they add. 'Additionally, the height of fences or hedges can cause disputes between neighbours if one party feels the height has exceeded the two metre guidance. "Hedges and fences should be no more than two metres high, and you could be asked by the council to take them down if a neighbour complains about the height. "Luckily, standard fence sizes are less than two metres tall so you shouldn't have a problem.' Garden structures and additions: A pergola is the perfect addition to a garden if you want somewhere to relax in the shade. But if it obstructs your neighbour's view or violates local building regulations it could cause a dispute, as can sheds and other garden structures. 'If you're not sure, have a chat with your neighbours to let them know what you're planning and, if there's an issue, get in touch with your local council who can give you more guidance," advise the gardening experts. Overhanging branches and plants: 'When branches, vines, or roots from one neighbour's tree or plant extend into the neighbouring property, it can lead to disagreements over potential damage to structures, blocked views, or the burden of maintenance," reveal the pros. However, it's important to note you can only trim overhanging branches up to the boundary of your property otherwise, it could be seen as trespassing. You can climb into the tree to carry out the work if needed, but only on your property and make sure to stay on your side of the fence if you don't have permission to enter your neighbours garden.
The Irish Sun
21-06-2025
- Climate
- The Irish Sun
I'm a royal gardener, important task will help your plants adapt to the heat and when it's time for the ‘Chelsea chop'
IT'S not just us humans that need to adapt to the warmer weather, the plants in your garden will need to adjust too. With temperatures soaring across the UK this weekend, former royal gardener Jack Stooks has opened up to Advertisement 1 Jack Stooks who previously worked for the King shares his top tips Credit: Getty Jack - who previously worked for King Charles at Highgrove for over two decades - also shares insight into the 'Chelsea Chop' method, and why it's important for maintaining plants. Read on to discover how to get your garden summer-ready… Plant feeding In June, much of the focus will be on staking plants and keeping them well watered. You might also start feeding your pot plants around this time, as you'll likely notice things beginning to grow in the pots. Advertisement Read More on Gardening When to water As we've had fairly dry weather in recent weeks, it's important to water your garden either in the mornings or evenings. The plants aren't yet at the stage where you're supporting them with stakes - for example, all the roses in my garden are still quite low - so they may struggle in the heat. I'd avoid overwatering, as the goal is to help the plants adapt to having less water. That said, you still need to water them, otherwise they'll just die. The main priority is making sure everything is well watered. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous Exclusive The 'Chelsea Chop' Around this time of year is normally what gardeners refer to as the Chelsea Chop, which is when certain herbaceous plants get a little bit big and you have to chop them down. This helps them come back a lot bushier and helps to control the size of the plant, shape, and flowering time. 6 ways to get rid of slugs and snails In weather like this, it's often not necessary, as the plants haven't grown as much - but it an important task to be aware of. Gardening mistakes that could get you fined Gardening experts over at Toolstation have revealed the garden laws you need to be aware of not breaking. While some of these laws could land you with a fine of up to £20,000 in extreme cases, a friendly chat with your neighbours can usually resolve any issues. Tree removal and pruning : If you have a tree in your garden you want to get rid of you better think twice and do your research. The gardening experts reveal: 'If one neighbour wishes to remove or heavily prune a tree that the other neighbour values, disputes can arise over the impact on the view, shade, or privacy. " While it might cause a row, if it is in your property boundary it is ultimately your choice, unless it has a Tree Protection Order on it. 'But, some trees may be protected by a Tree Protection Order which makes it an offence to uproot, top or destroy them, the experts warn. The maximum fine for breaking this law is £20,000, so make sure you double check if it does have a TPO. You can find out by contacting your local council for a map that shows this information. Alternatively, you can ask to speak with your local tree officer. Property boundaries and fences : One of the main causes of neighbours falling out is through arguing over property boundaries and fencing. To avoid this situation, the gardening pros recommend checking the deeds of your property to determine the correct boundaries 'Most of the time, it's easy to determine who owns the fence as the fence posts will usually be on the owners side," they add. 'Additionally, the height of fences or hedges can cause disputes between neighbours if one party feels the height has exceeded the two metre guidance. "Hedges and fences should be no more than two metres high, and you could be asked by the council to take them down if a neighbour complains about the height. "Luckily, standard fence sizes are less than two metres tall so you shouldn't have a problem.' Garden structures and additions : A pergola is the perfect addition to a garden if you want somewhere to relax in the shade. But if it obstructs your neighbour's view or violates local building regulations it could cause a dispute, as can sheds and other garden structures. 'If you're not sure, have a chat with your neighbours to let them know what you're planning and, if there's an issue, get in touch with your local council who can give you more guidance," advise the gardening experts. Overhanging branches and plants : 'When branches, vines, or roots from one neighbour's tree or plant extend into the neighbouring property, it can lead to disagreements over potential damage to structures, blocked views, or the burden of maintenance," reveal the pros. However, it's important to note you can only trim overhanging branches up to the boundary of your property otherwise, it could be seen as trespassing. You can climb into the tree to carry out the work if needed, but only on your property and make sure to stay on your side of the fence if you don't have permission to enter your neighbours garden.
The Sun
24-05-2025
- General
- The Sun
I'm a gardening expert – why using a kale leaf is a key DIY hack to keeping pests out of your gardens this summer
SUMMER is the perfect for enjoying your garden - but it's also when unwanted pests start to show up. However, former royal gardener Jack Stooks has revealed there are some very simple tricks to keep them at bay, including using a kale leaf. 6 6 Speaking to SEO experts at Big Fat Links, King Charles' former employee has revealed his natural methods that are safe for plants, pets, and people. According to Jack - who worked his gardening magic at Highgrove for over two decades - these easy hacks will keep it pest-free throughout the growing season… 1. Kale leaves Jack shared how a 'useful and cost-effective way of getting rid of slugs is to use kale leaves. Alternatively if you've got any cabbage, brussel sprouts, or anything similar growing in the garden, you can use the leaves off of the bases of those. So you're not wasting anything, you're using leaves that you wouldn't use anyway. The former royal gardener explained: 'You put those onto the surface of the soil in areas where you know slugs are coming. 'And then you put a tile or a sort of large flattish rock over the leaf. 'Then in the early morning you go and you pick up the stone and the leaf will normally be covered with slugs - big and small. 'You can then either get rid of that leaf or obviously pick them all off and, and pop them in compost or use them as animal feed.' Keep It Clean: How to stop pests from taking over this summer 6 2. Torch light Another hack doesn't cost a penny but may take some time. Jack explained: 'At night, another good hack is to go round and look for pests with a torch. 'So you simply go out with a torch and just hand-pick them. 'Slugs and snails are usually good ones to go out and remove.' 3. Beer/yeast traps Another way to hinder pesky slugs is using a beer trap, also known as a yeast trap. King Charles' former gardener shared: 'You simply put a glass jar into the soil, making sure that it's ground level. 'Then you put a little bit of beer into it (usually around a quarter of a jar). 'You can then cover it with a rock to stop any bigger animals like mice or similar from going inside. 'Slugs will tend to go in, through the sides, as well as snails.' 6 4. Soap spray Jack also suggested that you make a soap spray to get rid of pests on flowers such as roses. He added: 'Now is probably the perfect time to be doing this as well. 'For the mixture, you simply mix soap with water, and pop it into a little sprayer. 'Then you can just spray it onto the plants of choice.' 6 6 5. Garlic spray His final tip was to make a spray using garlic. Jack explained: 'For this, you mix garlic and water to make the mixture. 'If you have any rabbits or similar types of animals that are eating your herbs and other things in your garden, you can spray this garlic spray over the plants which usually works to deter animals from said plant or flowers.'
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Home Bargains slashes the price of a garden essential ahead of summer – it's now half off
SHOPPERS are racing to their local Home Bargains to buy half-priced garden essentials as the weather warms up. The retailer is now selling garden parasols in various neutral colours that were originally priced at £49.99 but now cost just £24.99. The product called Crank & Tilt Garden Parasol promises to be convenient with a crank mechanism that does eliminates the need for manually adjusting the parasol. Its canopy has a diameter of 2.7 metres, while the stand is over 2.3 metres tall. One shopper shared their cheap find on the Facebook group Bargain Lovers, posting a picture of the items stocked and writing: "Garden parasols at Home Bargains". In response, another person wrote: "I brought one of these last Friday for £49.99 and yes it does come with a stand." One user commented: "I've got the cream one I love it! Yet to find a stand for it though, they're four separate bits for about £13 each in home bargains." Another user replied to the comment about the stand, saying: "Put it through a hole in your table. That's what I've done!" 4 4 4 It comes as a former royal gardener, Jack Stooks, revealed to The Sun four garden trends that he does not endorse. Jack, who worked at the Highgrove Estate for over 20 years, said his first pet peeve is grass chairs or sofas. "You had these turf-like seats in the garden, which might sound like a great idea," he said. "I think you even used to be able to buy the innards made out of cardboard that you'd fill with soil and then you'd plant grass seed over - they're a bit cringey. "They don't ever really do that well. You can never really sit in them and people don't tend to anyway because the grass is always either wet or it's too dry and then it just becomes sort of like a muddy patch." The second that he mentions is pampas grass - a huge trend back in the '70s. The third cringe-worthy trend is, in Jack's view, a garden filled with gnomes. "Maybe just stick to having one or two gnomes," he said. Finally, Jack is not a fan of themed gardens. He said: "For example, when people go off to Disney, and then come back and think that their garden should be Disneyland-themed and try to re-create this in their garden. "Or they go to see a movie, like Titanic, and they might try and create this in their garden. "It just reminds me of a crazy golf course - but in a garden! "Just stick to a classic garden, as nothing beats those in my opinion." May gardening jobs The Sun's Gardening Editor, Veronica Lorraine, has shared the tasks you need to crack on with in May. GARDEN growth can go from nought to ninety in May, depending on the weather. The last UK frosts are generally seen at the beginning of the month, so all of a sudden there's so much more to do and grow. Plant out dahlia tubers It's a joy to finally plant out your dahlia tubers. Remember how big they can get - and space accordingly - anything up to half a metre apart. It's a good idea to put your support stakes in now instead of trying to work around them. And make sure you include lots of well rotted manure or decent compost to feed it and then mulch to keep it moist and suppress weeds. They generally start blooming in July. Final feed to Spring flowers You can give a cheeky feed to all your remaining tulips and daffodils. Although the majority of bulbs aren't guaranteed to come back year after year any more, as long as you've left them to die back naturally there's a good chance they'll have stored enough energy to come back again. Tomato feed is fine. Tie up climbers Your clematis, honeysuckle and rambling roses should be well on their way by now - try to use plastic free string to tie them back into their support, or tuck them round each other to make sure they don't sprout off in crazy directions. Feed the lawn It's not too late to give your lawn a good feed. Whether you use granular or liquid, it can give it a good boost to see it through the harsher summer months. While mowing, don't go too low with your cut length yet and never take more than a third off the grass height. Get creative It's also time to get creative with hanging baskets and pots. Trailing pelargoniums, which a lot of people call geraniums, and Begonias are a good, low cost way of getting lovely returning blooms throughout the summer in your baskets. And pots can be planted with spring bulbs. Don't forget the greenhouse! Give your greenhouse a good tidy and clean the glass inside and out. The improved light will help plants grow quicker inside and tidying is good for the soul. You can just use a household white wine vinegar and water solution - or even neat if you're feeling spendy - which gives a really good shine.
