RHS - UK's leading gardening charity / RHS
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK's leading gardening charity, join us for days out at stunning gardens, exclusive access to flower shows & expert advice.
Tips for growing orchids at home / RHS - RHS Gardening
Five tops tips for for growing moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) Use rainwater or boiled water for misting and watering - they don't appreciate the chlorine in fresh tapwater. Also, make sure water is at room temperature. When they've finished flowering, cut the flower spike back to the highest node, and they may well re-flower.
How to grow crocuses / RHS - RHS Gardening
Ideally plunge these pots into sand or soil in a cold frame for 6-8 weeks at 15cm (6in) deep for some autumn chill. Alternatively use a dark shed. Warmth will then encourage them to flower, so bring them indoors to a temperature of 10- 20 o C ( 50-54 F). From an October planting, they should flower for you in January.
How to choose and plant an apple tree - RHS Gardening
Nov 26, 2020 · 1. Garden size – in large gardens, you can choose vigorous rootstocks and grow apples as 'standard' or 'half-standard' trees, as they give the best yields. In smaller plots, consider dwarfing rootstocks and training your trees, for example as cordons or espaliers. 2. In the kitchen – do you want a dessert (eating) or culinary (cooking) apple?
Earthworms - RHS Gardening
Earthworms are a familiar sight to gardeners, as an important part of a healthy garden ecosystem they help create and maintain healthy garden soils: Earthworms can be active throughout the year but are usually dormant (quiescent) during cold or hot and dry weather. Earthworms occur in most soils, but are scarce in soils that are extremely ...
How to grow verbena - RHS Gardening
How to grow verbena. Verbenas bring summer-long colour to borders and containers, with flowers in rich shades of purple, pink, red and white. From tall, airy Verbena bonariensis to trailing types for hanging baskets, they are easy-to-grow, free-flowering sun-lovers.Verbena and closely related Glandularia are widely known as verbenas, so here we …
Propagation techniques / RHS
Diffuse bright light with a layer of fleece. Keep undercover in a propagator or greenhouse with bottom heat, to keep the cuttings warm and humid. A pot with a plastic bag over the top kept somewhere light and warm will also suffice. Vent cutting daily, by lifting the lid or plastic bag.
How to grow buddlejas / RHS - RHS Gardening
In containers: Planting dwarf buddlejas in a container, use a peat-free multipurpose potting compost with added John Innes. Add some slow-release fertiliser to the compost to provide feed for the first summer. Repot every two to three years to ensure good growth. They'll eventually need a large pot approximately 60cm (2ft) wide.
Badgers in your garden / RHS - RHS Gardening
Scientific name: Meles meles. Main signs: Scraped out bits of lawn or snuffle holes, latrines, partially eaten bulbs, vegetables and fruit, digging under fences or broken fence. Plants affected: Lawn, flower beds, fruits, vegetables. Most active: Badgers are nocturnal. Whilst they do not hibernate, they are less active over the winter months.
How plants breathe / RHS
Plants don’t have lungs to inhale and exhale the air that blows around them, but they do, in their own way, ‘breathe’ in and out oxygen and carbon dioxide. Here you can discover how plants carry out gas exchange and how we can make sure they breathe easy. Plants, like these ox-eye daisies, absorb gases from the air to fuel their growth.