Pests and problems
The garden pests actually worth worrying about
A garden full of insects is a healthy garden. Only a handful do damage worth acting on. Learn those few, and you can leave the rest, and their predators, to do their work.
All guides
Every guide we have published, newest first. Practical, tested advice you can act on this weekend.
9 guides
2026
Houseplants
Why your houseplant's leaves turn yellow, and how to fix it
A yellow leaf can mean too much water, too little light, a hungry plant, or nothing worth worrying about. Work through the causes in order instead of guessing.
Getting started
How to start a garden when you have never grown anything
You do not need a big plot, special tools, or a green thumb to start. You need light, a little water, and a few forgiving plants. Here is the order to do things in.
Vegetables and herbs
A first vegetable garden you can actually keep up with
The usual advice is to grow what you eat. The better advice for a first year is to grow what is hard to kill and quick to reward. These five crops do both.
Vegetables and herbs
Growing herbs on a windowsill that last past week two
The pot of basil from the supermarket is not one plant, it is fifty crammed together and sold to die. Split it, repot it, and give it the light it wants, and it keeps going.
Flowers
Easy flowers that bloom the first year from seed
Perennials are a long game. For colour this year, sow hardy annuals. They are cheap, forgiving, and most will flower within a few months of going in the ground.
Soil and compost
How to start a compost pile that doesn't smell
A smelly compost heap is almost always too wet and too short of air. Balance your greens and browns, turn it now and then, and the smell problem solves itself.
Soil and compost
Understand your soil before you plant anything
Before you spend money on plants, spend ten minutes on your soil. A simple jar test shows whether you are working with sand, clay, or something in between, and that changes everything.
Seasonal jobs
What to do in the garden in early spring
Early spring is tempting and dangerous. There is plenty to do, but a warm week is not the same as the end of frost. Here is what is safe to start now and what should wait.