8 h. ago Gardeners told to avoid job that's a 'magnet for slugs' eating their way through plants

Gardening experts have shared their top tips for growing fruit and vegetables - including how to avoid attracting slugs and when to avoid watering your plants

Politics

5 d. ago Dinosaur tracks uncovered at site of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s refuge

Jacobite leader was unknowingly ‘following the footprints’ of megalosaurs after escaping to the Isle of Skye in 1746When Bonnie Prince Charlie fled the Scottish Highlands after defeat at the Battle of Culloden, his route may have crossed the fossilised footsteps of massive meat-eating dinosaurs, researchers say.Newly discovered impressions at Prince Charles’s Point on the Isle of Skye, where the Young Pretender is said to have hunkered down in 1746, reveal that megalosaurs, the carnivorous ancestors of the T rex, and enormous plant-eating sauropods gathered at the site when it was a shallow freshwater lagoon. Continue reading...

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6 d. ago Gardener's 'brilliant trick' to keep slugs away from plants by dehydrating them

Horticulturist and TV gardening expert David Domoney appeared on ITV This Morning to share his top tips for deterring slugs and snails from eating plants

Politics

8 d. ago Gardeners urged to grow 3 plants to stop caterpillars eating everything

Pests are often part of a garden's eco-system, but they can also wreak havoc with plants - caterpillars included. But three plants could fend them off entirely

Politics

9 d. ago Meera Sodha: ‘I’m thrilled to have new ingredients in the kitchen’

Our cook on why she’s changing the way she writes her recipesSee Meera’s kimchi and cheddar okonomiyaki and Thai fried egg salad hereI’m like a giant panda in that 98% of what I eat comes from plants. It’s a long story, but the short version is that I love animals alive and vegetables on my plate.If I think about who I am and how I eat, I am built from Gujarati ingenuity and Lincolnshire produce when it comes to putting vegetables at the centre of the table. While I eat mainly plants, I do leave a little room in my diet for other things that I enjoy – a fish curry shared with my husband, Hugh, an omelette for a quick dinner, or tidying the edges of a hunk of manchego – and three of my cookbooks, Fresh India, East and Dinner, overall reflect that way of eating. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Don’t rush to rip out your nettles – here’s three ways to put them to good use

A patch of the stingers is a sure sign of nutrient-rich soil – plus they’re nutritious for you, your plants and insect-eating birdsNettles are rarely considered a welcome sight to gardeners. With their capacity for rampant growth – they spread by rhizome (underground) as well as seed – and the tiny hairs on their stems and leaves that sting any passing bare skin, they are usually uprooted from outside spaces where people are present. Nonetheless, this defensive plant is a common sight throughout the UK and worthy of more than our disdain, given that it boasts a wealth of beneficial properties and that its presence is a sure sign there’s plenty of nitrogen – an essential nutrient for plant growth – present in your garden’s soil.Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) are wholly edible, although the most commonly eaten part is the leaf. Spring is the best time to forage and consume nettle leaves as the fresh growth is the most tender and delicious, as well as richly nutritious. Not to b...

Politics

1 week ago Monty Don reveals the best way to protect your garden and keep slugs from eating your plants

With seedlings only just beginning to raise their heads, green spaces across the UK could soon be filled with greedy slugs. But Monty Don has revealed how to keep them at bay.

Politics

1 week ago Monty Don names key method to deter slugs from eating your garden plants

If you've noticed your garden getting overrun by slugs looking to chew through your plants, then Monty Don has provided one simple tip to keep them at bay for good

Politics

2 w. ago Gardeners urged to bury tea bags in their lawns and around flower beds

Used tea bags are a low-cost and natural fertiliser that can help to improve the condition of your lawn, while also deterring plant-eating pests.

Politics