Author: Antonio Pachowko

Expandable Hosepipe, a Review- Does it Live Up to the Hype?

Product: Ansio Expandable Garden Hose

The Best Place to Buy: www.amazon.co.uk

Product Dimensions: 32.2 x 22.5 x 12.66 cm

Shipping Weight: 2.26kg

Hose Length: 30m when fully expanded

My Score: 9/10

Anybody who has a container garden, especially with a lot of containers will know how long and laborious watering can be. As container gardens tend to dry more quickly than normal gardens, especially in summer, where it can become a daily task. You can do this by using a watering can but if you have many pots to water, this can be very daunting.…

Latin for the Container Gardener (Why a Little Knowledge Goes a Long Way)

In this article, the use of Latin for the container gardener will be discussed. You may have noticed that in all my articles on flowers that I use the Latin names. You may wonder why I do this and the answer is simple. I do not wish for my readers to buy the wrong plant, as Latin makes identification easier.

This is because some plants have the same variety names, which could lead to confusion. The other confusing aspect is that a plant may have many common names around the world, so when you are talking to somebody using their …

Plants for Containers in City Gardens in Full Sun (Grow More Than Your First Thought)

In this article, plants for containers in city gardens in full sun will be highlighted. City gardens tend to be more sheltered and tend to be blocked in by tall buildings allowing the temperature to rise and be warmer all year round. These warmer temperatures than rural places allow you to broaden your choice of plants that can be used.

Plants such as penstemons and alstroemerias that offer suffer in cold winters, will come up unscathed in snug city enclaves. Believe it or not, you are blessed compared to many gardeners, as the range of plants that can be used …

Container Plants for Attracting Beneficial Insects to your Garden (Attracting Bees, Butterflies, Hoverflies and Wasps)

In this article, container plants for attracting beneficial insects to your garden will be discussed. No matter your design preference, there are many trees, shrubs, perennials, biennials and annuals that can be used to attract beneficial insects. The nectar-rich plants will attract bees, butterflies, hoverflies and even wasps.

You can make any formal or informal wildlife container garden but it will still need to conform to a tightly controlled design that must benefit the insects that visit your garden. The insects must benefit as much as you do, otherwise, you will not attract them to your container garden.

The container …

5 of The Best 4-in-1 Soil Testers (Getting the Growing Conditions Right in Containers)

Anybody who has a container garden knows that for any plant to crop, flower or fruit certain growing conditions needs to be met. The pH of the compost needs to be right, the soil temperature not too hot or not too cold, the compost must have the right amount of moisture-not too wet or too dry, and it must have the right level of sunlight. This is where a 4-in-1 soils sensor comes into play, as you will get all 4 variable measured. In this article, the 5 best soil testers will be reviewed.

WHY MUST THE PH BE MEASURED?

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Plants for Producing Fragrant Flowers Container Displays (Bringing Scent to the Garden)

In this article, plants for producing fragrant flowers in containers will be highlighted. In the garden, scent is often very important, as we often feel uplifted and more contented, when our olfactory glands are exposed to beautiful smells.

The plants will guarantee to attract visitors to the garden especially wildlife. Scented flowers always add a new dimension to the container garden as not only form and colour is introduced, but also a beautiful new dimension of scent.

It is best to situate scented plants close to a seated area, bear front doors, on both sides of a garden path so …

PatioGro Multilevel Growing Frame, a Product Review

Product: PatioGro Multilevel Growing Frame including trays and labels.

The Best Place to buy: www.amazon.co.uk

Product Dimensions: 175 x 54 x 116 cm

Shipping Weight: 12.5kg

My score: 8/10

The problem with modern housing is that often there is no garden at all or if there is one present it cannot support directly planted in the ground. Modern backyards are often concreted or have a patio, where you have no soil to directly grow in. This can be problematic if you want to grow salads, vegetables or flowering plants, as you have no media to grow in.…

Grow Your Own Salad Leave Mixes in Containers (Grow Much More Than Lettuce)

This article concerns the growing of salad leave mixes in containers. In a previous post I touched upon how to grow salad leaves in containers, but now I want to go in this important topic in greater detail in what varieties can be grown, and how to make your own salad seed mixes.

In this way, you can mix and grow your own salad leaves that you like and avoid those that you prefer not to eat. No more picking out leaves that you do not like from store bought plastic bags of young salad leaves.

I will go …

Strawberry Barrel- A Product Review

Product: Strawberry barrel

Best Place to Buy: www.amazon.co.uk

Size of Container: 58.8cm x45.8cmx11.2cm

Capacity: 80 litres of compost.

Shipping Weight: 2.05kg

My score: 7/10

Just imagine, it is late June, early July, Wimbledon is on the television, and you are enjoying a bowl full of homegrown strawberries and cream. Traditionally strawberries have been grown in large strawberry beds where vast arrays of plants are used to produce a bumper crop. This takes a lot of room, a lot of planting, a lot of feeding and a lot of watering.

Is there a way to have a number of …

Plants for Hanging Baskets-Not the Favourite Eight

There are many plants that can be grown in hanging baskets from upright to trailing plants. Each plant together forms a colourful display, which looks speculator in summer. They can be even a winter hanging basket where often little is in flower.

In previous posts, it was discussed how the hanging basket should be set up, from the use of liner, mosses, and compost. It is now time to discuss, which plants can go into these wire or the easy fill hanging baskets.

The big eight plants that are often used in hanging baskets throughout the land are …