Best Investments Over the Last 100 Years? Almost All Are Tech Companies.
Best Investments Over the Last 100 Years? Almost All Are Tech Companies.
Compost tomatoes and community are teaching me valuable lessons in the face of an uncertain future | Kelley Swain
Thanks to the Hobart gardening legend Hannah Moloney sharing a video about the green tomatoes in her greenhouse, I went outside in the glorious winter solstice sunshine today, down in the Huon Valley, and rummaged around in the crazily overgrown tomato plant that has been taking over my neglected compost heap. I came away with … Read more
Why You Shouldn’t Send Checks in the Mail
Why You Shouldn’t Send Checks in the Mail
Midsummer isn’t the best time for planting, but it’s great for planning | Gardening advice
The summer solstice is behind us: where did the year go? But the next few weeks are still a good time to work out where your sunny spots actually are, and where they’re not. And that’s helpful for plotting out everything you might want to do and grow in your garden. Last June, I was desperate to peer at our … Read more
The best grass trimmers in the UK for your garden – tested by our expert | Gardens
You can mow your lawn as little or as often as you like, but it won’t look truly perfect until you’ve neatened up the edges. As with most garden tasks, you can do this manually, using a decent pair of edging shears – or, if you’re not a fan of manual labour, you can use … Read more
‘Lawns don’t need watering!’ How to garden in a heatwave, from recycling bathwater to making the most of shade | Gardening advice
After the two hottest May days on record in the UK last month, gardeners may be surveying the damage and dreading the summer months ahead. “Heatwaves early in the summer can result in scorched, brown leaves,” says Leigh Hunt, the principal horticultural adviser at the Royal Horticultural Society. “When temperatures climb over 35C, there are … Read more
I could listen to gardeners chat for hours. It always sounds like they’re up to no good | Zoe Williams
My uncle has a mature and beautiful gingko tree, which also goes by the name of memory tree, which is a little ironic because he can’t remember where he put his hearing aid batteries, and yet he can recollect with pin-sharp detail the exact moment this tree’s predecessor was confiscated by a customs official on … Read more
Houseplant hacks: does putting gravel at the bottom of pots improve drainage? | Houseplants
The problemMost old houseplant guides suggest adding a layer of gravel or stones to the bottom of the pot before adding compost. It is presented as basic good practice; the thing you do to stop soil from retaining water, which can cause root rot. The hackThis layer of gravel is said to improve drainage by providing a place … Read more
New Student Loans Are About to Get Pricier
New Student Loans Are About to Get Pricier
Summer’s here and the time is right to direct sow vegetables in your garden | Gardening advice
I like to think of myself as a fairly laissez-faire food grower. I see the prescribed sowing windows as guidance mostly, and have been known to bung a healthy seedling in a bed alongside a different plant family even if it goes against my crop plan. But when sowing seeds, I am all about control. I’m a devoted … Read more