Spot the three caterpillar species eating your brassicas and treat them safely without broad‑spectrum sprays
I remember the first time I found holes in my brassica leaves—little crescent bites and ragged edges on my kale and cabbage—and my heart sank. Brassicas are such reliable garden stars, and seeing them chewed by caterpillars is always frustrating. Over the years I’ve learned to spot the three...
Featured
Convert a one-by-two metre shady balcony into a productive edible shade garden with a step-by-step planting map
When I first inherited a narrow, shady balcony that measured just 1 by 2 metres, I figured edible...
How to stop rosemary tip dieback after winter and nurse vigorous new shoots in three simple weekend steps
Winter can be hard on rosemary. After a few cold snaps or a long stretch of damp weather I often...
step-by-step: retrofit an ikea hackney bench into a winter cold frame for hardy seed starting
I kept a small Ikea bench for years because it was sturdy, inexpensive and had a perfect footprint...
how to build a pollinator-friendly berm with native plants that blooms from spring to frost
I built my first pollinator-friendly berm after a summer of watching bees struggle across a sea of...
how to stop whiteflies on greenhouse tomatoes using sticky cards, neem and a targeted release schedule
I grow most of my tomatoes in a small greenhouse—it gives me earlier harvests and more...
which cheap self-watering planters actually keep balcony herbs alive for two weeks without topping up
Keeping herbs alive on a sunny (or sometimes scorching) balcony while you’re away for a long...
Latest News from Groupegarden
Plant Care
How to use mulch correctly around shrubs to prevent rot and encourage deep roots
Mulch is one of my favorite garden habits — it transforms bare soil into a tidy, moisture-retaining layer, suppresses weeds and feeds the soil as it breaks down. But I’ve also learned the hard way that mulch can cause problems when used incorrectly around shrubs: too much or piled against the...
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Pests & Diseases
Eco friendly slug control strategies that protect pets and wildlife
I hate finding half-eaten hosta leaves or a row of tiny holes across my lettuces — and I’ve learned that slugs are as persistent as they are sneaky. Over the years I’ve tried every trick in the book, and I’ve also learned to choose methods that keep our cats, neighbour’s dog, hedgehogs...
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Garden Design
Design a cozy garden seating nook using thrifted finds and white string lights
I love creating small garden moments that feel like a quiet retreat — a place where you can sip tea, read a book, or linger with friends as dusk falls. One of my favourite weekend projects is designing a cozy seating nook using thrifted finds and white string lights. It’s a budget-friendly way...
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DIY Projects
How to choose the right drip irrigation kit for a 10 m² flower border
When I first tackled irrigation for a 10 m² flower border, I wanted something that was simple, water-efficient and low-maintenance — not a full sprinkler system, but better than hand-watering every evening. After testing a few setups and helping friends fit kits into narrow beds and...
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Eco Gardening
Convert a lawn patch into a low maintenance wildflower meadow in three stages
Turning a patch of lawn into a low-maintenance wildflower meadow is one of my favourite garden makeovers. It’s a small change that rewards you with colour, scent and a busy highway for pollinators — and it can be surprisingly simple if you work in stages. Below I share the three-stage approach...
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DIY Projects
Small greenhouse setup for extending the season and starting seedlings early
I love a good weekend project, and building a small greenhouse is one of my favorites—especially when I picture seed trays germinating in February instead of April. A compact greenhouse is an affordable, efficient way to extend the growing season, get seedlings off to a strong start and protect...
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Eco Gardening
How to compost kitchen scraps fast without attracting rodents or flies
I used to worry that composting kitchen scraps meant inviting a parade of rodents and flies into my garden. After a few messy experiments (and one bold raccoon raid), I’ve developed routines that let me turn food waste into rich soil fast — without the pests. Below I share the methods I...
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Plant Care
Why your tomato plants drop flowers and how to fix it this week
I planted a second round of tomatoes last month and watched, heart in my throat, as healthy-looking plants produced clusters of perfect yellow flowers that then shriveled and fell away. If that’s happening in your garden, you’re not alone — blossom drop (when flowers fall before setting...
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Pests & Diseases
Natural homemade spray recipes that actually stop aphids on roses
I hate seeing my roses coated in tiny, sap-sucking aphids. Over the years I’ve tried commercial sprays, sticky traps and staggered plantings, but my favourite approach is a set of simple, natural homemade sprays that actually work — when used correctly. Below I share the recipes I use in my...
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Plant Care
When to prune spring flowering shrubs for bigger blooms next year
I love the way a shrub-heavy border sings in spring—clouds of lilac, lemony bursts of forsythia, and the soft flaring of azaleas. Over the years I’ve learned that timing the pruning of spring-flowering shrubs correctly is one of the easiest ways to make those displays even better next year....
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