Latest news with #greenfingered
The Sun
11-07-2025
- General
- The Sun
The beautiful granny flower making a comeback – it grows colourful blooms up to 6ft, bees love & it returns every summer
IT'S the flower many typically associate with their nan's cottage in the picturesque countryside. But now it's time for green-fingered Brits to stop overlooking the gorgeous foxglove - as the beautiful flower grows colourful blooms up to 6ft, instantly elevating any garden, even in the city. 1 The quintessential cottage garden flowers work just as well in urban gardens, where some varieties can grown in a container and enjoy the part-shade often found in built-up areas. Most foxgloves belong to the biennial category, which means this flower completes its lifecycle over two years. For those new to gardening, this means that if you want flowers next year, you're nearing your last chance to sow them. They will put down roots and create a rosette of green leaves by Christmas, before sending up mega flower spikes, blooming and setting seeds next summer. These stunning wildflowers can be particularly efficient self-seeders. When the conditions are right, foxgloves will set seed from late spring to late summer as their flowers go over. In terms of finding the right spot for this cottage flower, they particularly enjoy the dappled shade of overhead trees, and these are the conditions Brits can easily emulate if you want to sow direct into the ground. For those who want to indulge in seed trays, you can also grow foxgloves in eye-catching pots and plant them in their forever homes when they're bigger and the weather is cooler. Can't be bothered to sow? Another option is ordering the plants now to establish later this year. However, before you do anything, it's important to remind that all parts of foxgloves are toxic, including stems and leaves, so they may not be the right pick for your garden if you have pets or small children. When it comes to ongoing care, there's also a crucial task that shouldn't be neglected to ensure the longevity of the plant. Deadheading is a technique where you remove fading flowers from plants to encourage further blooming. According to the Royal Horticultural Society, gardeners should deadhead foxgloves as soon as the flowers have finished, by removing the whole flower stem at the base. Garden features that add the most value to a house A well-kept garden can add anywhere between 5-20% to the value of a property. carried out a study and consulted 36 estate agents, garden designers and property professionals from across the UK. And the experts revealed the garden feature which adds the most value to a property is a shed. Shed - 82% Patio or paving - 76% Secure fencing, walls or gates - 72% Outdoor lighting - 66% Sturdy decking - 62% Water features eg. fountain or pond - 58% Modern garden furniture - 54% Artificial lawn/grass - 40% The organisation's growing guide states: "This stops them producing seeds, which conserves their energy. "It can also sometimes help biennial foxgloves live and flower for an extra year, and also improves the longevity of perennial foxgloves. As important as the job is to maintain the production of the beautiful blooms, it should also be noted that deadheading "prevents plants setting seed and creating the next generation in the biennial cycle." Therefore, in order to have a yearly supply of new young plants, it is recommended to always leave a few flower stems in place to set seed. Allowing the flower spikes to set seed, will result in them self-seeding "rapidly" and particularly in spring you'll will tend to find many little seedlings near the parent plant. Additionally, make sure you're giving foxgloves enough space to grow and flower. Overcrowded seedlings should be spaced out or moved once they are large enough to handle.
The Sun
06-07-2025
- General
- The Sun
How to keep squirrels at bay AND add a touch of colour to your garden this summer for less than £3
THEY may seem cute with their fluffy tails, but don't let squirrels charming appearance fool you. From digging up freshly planted bulbs to nibbling on fruit, chewing through plant stems, and raiding vegetable patches, playful squirrels can be a gardener's worst nightmare. 2 2 Luckily, protecting your garden from these cheeky pests doesn't have to involve pricey deterrents or harsh chemicals that can ruin your lawn. According to House Digest, planting one type of flower in your garden beds and borders can help keep pesky squirrels at bay. These vibrant, aromatic flowers will not only immediately brighten up your landscape but also emit a scent that this furry animal hates. What's more, there's also no need to fork out a fortune on this plant - as green-fingered Brits can snap up gorgeous marigolds for less than £3. Not only do marigolds boast vibrant golden blooms, but they also emit a potent aroma that squirrels find off-putting. According to experts, this scent interferes with their sense of smell, making it challenging for hungry squirrels to rummage through the garden for their next meal. If you're keen to test this natural method to ward off squirrels, it's best to choose a sunny spot in your garden as these flowers require at least six hours of sunlight daily. For best results - and an epic garden glow-up - sow your seeds approximately six to 12 inches apart and once they've taken root, ensure they're regularly watered. While they can withstand drought, they'll thrive with consistent watering. They also need occasional deadheading to maintain their health. 6 ways to get rid of slugs and snails This affordable flower - retailing for just £2.80 at B&Q - is excellent for strategic planting. If gardeners position them between rows of vegetables or next to fruit-bearing plants that squirrels target, it will keep them protected from the pesky pests. If you're short on space in your garden, marigolds also make fantastic companion plants in pots alongside tomatoes, peppers and herbs. Keep pests out all summer IF you want to ensure that your home is pest free this summer, here's what you need to know. Hornets and wasps - hate the smell of peppermint oil so spraying this liberally around your patio or balcony can help to keep them at bay. Moths - acidic household white vinegar is effective for deterring moths. Soak some kitchen roll in vinegar and leave it in your wardrobe as a deterrent. Flying ants - herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, mint, chilli pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or garlic act as deterrents. Mosquitoes - plants, herbs and essential oil fragrances can help deter mozzies inside and out. Try eucalyptus, lavender and lemongrass. If you feel like you need additional squirrel deterrent planting, it's worth considering other strongly scented plants such as mint or nasturtium. The layering of smells forms a robust barrier against the noses of the furry animal. Another scent, we reported earlier, is using coffee grounds. Pest control expert Jordan Foster said: 'Spread coffee grounds in your borders as squirrels hate the smell of them and will run away and won't come back.' The expert also advised adding water to the grounds, to make sure they stick, and to enhance the odour. Before applying to the whole of your garden, you should test a small area to ensure it doesn't harm plants. Coffee grounds can also be effective at harming other pests, such as cats and rats. Alongside planting deterrents, households should also maintain their garden tidy and free from food leftovers - as these will attract squirrels, rats and mice to consume what they desire.
The Sun
10-06-2025
- General
- The Sun
The £5 Amazon buy Alan Titchmarsh says is the ‘only thing that really works' at stopping slugs attacking your plants
SLUGS are the bane of every gardener's life. But Britain's favourite gardening expert Alan Titchmarsh has one method that he swears by for combating the slimy slitherers. 3 3 Writing in County Life, the 76-year-old spoke about his lifelong battle with the garden pests - and his resistance to the idea that 'slugs are our friend'. The Gardening Club star says he favours copper rings that sit around the base of the plant. The copper rings are more expensive as they can be reused multiple times - they typically retail for between £25 and £30. However, those who are greenfingered on a budget can instead invest in copper tape - which works in the same fashion and is available for only £4.99 on Amazon for a 25-metre roll. Titchmarsh said: "The only things that have worked for me are those rings of copper that resemble a vicar's clerical collar and which can be pushed into the ground around individual plants to discourage the molluscs from coming any closer. "They are reputed (if kept clean) to impart a kind of electric shock to any slug or snail attempting to scale their dizzying height of 1in." How does copper tape work? The copper tape works by imparting an electrical charge that gives the slug a small static shock. The tape can be trimmed to size and wound around the lips of lower pots and planners - creating an uncrossable barrier. Other slug deterrent methods The veteran presenter has tried a number of other methods for tackling the slug menace over the years - with limited results. Titchmarsh says he long ago stopped using slug pellets, which cause the slugs to convulse but also pose a poisoning threat to hedgehods and birds. I'm a gardening expert and these are my top hacks to stop slugs taking over your garden as UK invasion worsens The CBE has also tried various products that create a sharp or uncomfortable texture for the slugs to crawl over. However, crushed eggshells, holly leaves, sharp grit, gravel and even sheep's wool were all 'at best, unreliable and more often than not totally ineffective', according to Titchmarsh. Coffee grounds are another foodstuff often touted as a slug repellent, but Titchmarsh says he doesn't drink enough of it - plus he prefers that his garden doesn't smell of Starbucks. That leaves hand-picking them off plants by hand in the evening, a time-intensive procedure that also requires gloves if you want to avoid slimy hands. Titchmarsh says he has had some sucess with pot feet, which only allow the more acrobatic slugs to gain access to your prized blooms. Gardeners could be forgiven for feeling confused about how best to combat slugs given the array of techniques floated for dealing with this in recent years. One gardening fan claimed that garlic helped to repel slugs and snails - even posting a recipe for a garlic spray. Another intriguing possibility suggested as a natural pest deterrent is foxgloves, whose purple flowers contain toxic compounds such as digitalis glycosides, which can be very harmful for slugs. Why having slugs in your garden is a good thing Yes, they chomp your precious plants, but having slugs in your garden should be celebrated. Rebecca Miller, Associate Editor for Fabulous, and novice gardener, believes we should work in harmony with slugs and not try to get rid of them altogether. "We've been conditioned as a society to believe we must have gardens with straight edges, short lawns with pretty stripes and perfect borders with flowers constantly blooming. But unruly hedgerows, abundance of tall wildflowers buzzing with insects, and bugs and slugs galore in flowerbeds is totally natural - and necessary. I understand that your plants might be very precious to you, but we need slugs and snails. They provide food for all sorts of mammals, birds, slow worms, earthworms, insects - and they are part of the natural balance. By removing them, we upset the ecosystem and can do a lot of harm - thrushes in particular thrive on them! It is said British Gardeners use some 650 billion slug pellets per year! Please find a natural alternative – the poison from slug pellets enters the food chain and can kill hedgehogs, who consider slugs and snails as a tasty treat. If you're truly desperate, consider using Diatomaceous Earth - it is a naturally occurring compound approved for organic use, that can be used for pest control. And while you're at it, challenge yourself to grow "sacrificial plants". Sacrificial planting, commonly known as trap cropping, is the deliberate act of growing plants to attract pests. Pick a slugs favourite vegetable or ornamental plant for them to nibble on, and they will leave your more precious plants alone."
