Useful ideas. Good beginnings.
Make more of your garden
Gardening that fits your space.
New to gardening? Start with one pot. Our guides help you choose what to grow, check the compost and look after your plants.
In the garden this autumn
Choose a job for the weather and space you have. The October guide is a useful place to start.
October jobs, one at a time
Check drainage and shelter, clear slippery leaves and plan your next planting job.
Put fallen leaves to use
Find a leaf-mould method that fits your space, and see when it is ready to use.
Plant a pot of spring bulbs
Choose the bulbs before planning the layers. Check their planting dates and depths.
Start with one pot
You can begin with a patio corner or a sunny doorstep. Follow these four guides to make your first planting easier to look after.
1. Plan your first pot
Choose a position and one planting you can manage. Check the space, light and container before you buy.
2. Choose compost and check drainage
Read the bag for the plants you have chosen. Then check the drainage holes before filling the pot.
3. Grow herbs you will use
Pick a few herbs for your kitchen and give them the conditions they need. Keep mint in its own pot.
4. Prepare for colder weather
Find out which plants can stay outside. Check shelter and drainage, and move tender plants when needed.
Latest guides
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Choosing peat-free compost for your pots
Choose the right peat-free mix, read a real manufacturer’s instructions and estimate litres before learning the mix’s water and feeding needs.
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Starting a container garden: a small, workable plan
Start with one well-placed container, then use a complete thyme-pot example to choose the plant, size, mix and first-week checks.
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Compost problems: what to check and how to fix them
Use smell, moisture and the older contents to choose one compost correction, then check the same layer for a useful change.
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What can you put in a compost bin?
Check ordinary-bin ingredients, then use the tea-bag, packaging, weed and treated-lawn exceptions before tipping in uncertain waste.
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Composting in a small garden
Compare small-garden composting systems, make an ordinary bin workable and plan where fresh scraps will go while a batch matures.
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How to make leaf mould in bags
Make leaf mould in pierced bags, check moisture and recognise when the material is ready for mulch or a homemade growing mix.
Small steps. Something growing.
Good things. Grown by you.
A windowsill, a few pots or a patch of earth. Start with the space you have and build your confidence one small job at a time.