Some plants surprise us not with their flowers or their flavour, but with their success. They grow vigorously, self-seed reliably or suddenly turn up in places where we never planted them. In your own garden, that can be a nuisance. But does a…

The earth almond is a plant full of contrasts. Its small, sweetish, nutty tubers have long been valued as food, and in Spain they are made into the well-known Horchata de Chufa. At the same time, Cyperus esculentus can spread persistently through…

Some plants arrive quietly. A few seeds travel along in a bag of soil, a piece of root stays stuck to a garden tool, or an ornamental plant self-seeds beyond the garden fence. Many of these newcomers disappear again after a short time. Others become…

When summer reaches its peak and many plants are already in full bloom, a quiet drama begins in the garden, one that rewards patience and foresight. Right now is the time to lay the foundations for the stars of the coming spring: biennial plants .…

Some plants look as if they had stepped straight out of an old herbal: idiosyncratic, well-armed and full of secrets. Wild teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) is one such plant. With its tall stems, its prickly flower heads and its architectural silhouette,…

If tomatoes suddenly develop grey, brown or black spots on the bottom end, it is often blossom end rot. It looks worrying, but it is not a contagious fungal disease. Usually the cause is a lack of calcium in the fruit, triggered by uneven watering,…

Contents 1. The bite of bitter disappointment 2. Where the bitterness comes from 3. Common causes of bitter cucumbers 4. How to prevent bitterness 5. Our bitter-free cucumber tips 6. What to do with a bitter cucumber 7. To sum up: leave all…

If the shoot tips of your broad beans suddenly look black, the black bean aphid is usually behind it. It gathers in dense colonies, especially on young, soft parts of the plant. The good news: if you look early and react in the right way, you can…

Your lettuce suddenly shoots up, forms a firm stem and tastes bitter? Then it has probably “bolted”. Welcome to our Magic Garden Seeds Garden Clinic . Here we answer specific questions from everyday gardening: simply, clearly and with practical tips…

Summer is just getting going – but this is precisely the time when you need to be thinking about winter. Because if you want to be harvesting your own crispy-fresh, home-grown veg when it’s cold outside then mid-June is when you can leap into action…

Sometimes seeds don't germinate, carrots stay tiny, strawberries bear no fruit or the lettuce bolts far too early. When plants don't grow the way we'd like them to, it's rarely down to a lack of green fingers. Much more often, it's just one small…

The longest day and shortest night mark the start of one of the most magical times in the year – the summer solstice , also known as midsummer . On Midsummer Eve nature shines in all its glory – full of life, light and a deep connection between heaven…