Preventing black spot: an honest three-month record
Anyone who has spent time on preventing black spot has a failure story: a strong start, a collapse in the middle, then silence. This is not another…
Dealing with aphids: it isn't actually complicated
Most people do not fail at dealing with aphids from misunderstanding it. They fail because understanding is not doing. What follows is the doing…
Spotting spider mite: key points and exceptions
Put spotting spider mite back into a real week, with overtime, travel and days you cannot be bothered. Any plan that only survives good months will…
Deadheading after the flush: what you only learn by doing
Put deadheading after the flush back into a real week, with overtime, travel and days you cannot be bothered. Any plan that only survives good months…
Winter protection: it isn't actually complicated
Put winter protection back into a real week, with overtime, travel and days you cannot be bothered. Any plan that only survives good months will not…
Replacing potted soil: a cheaper route
If you have already tried replacing potted soil and dropped it, the fault is usually in the setup: a starting point set too high, an environment…
Changing hydrangea colour: out of the misconceptions
Anyone who has spent time on changing hydrangea colour has a failure story: a strong start, a collapse in the middle, then silence. This is not…
Pruning endless summer types: what you only learn by doing
Let us set the limits of pruning endless summer types first: it reliably improves a visible record of growth, and it does not deliver overnight.…
Shade for hydrangeas: out of the misconceptions
Put shade for hydrangeas back into a real week, with overtime, travel and days you cannot be bothered. Any plan that only survives good months will…
Propping up heavy heads: what you only learn by doing
There is plenty written about propping up heavy heads and little you can act on. This piece stays concrete: every action can be done on the kitchen…
Propagating roses: a cheaper route
Anyone who has spent time on propagating roses has a failure story: a strong start, a collapse in the middle, then silence. This is not another…
Grafting or cuttings: what you only learn by doing
Most people want grafting or cuttings to make things better. The workable version of that goal is steadier: a floor you can hit on a bad day.…
Watering through flowering: breaking the problem apart
If you have already tried watering through flowering and dropped it, the fault is usually in the setup: a starting point set too high, an environment…
Buds that refuse to open: it isn't actually complicated
If you have already tried buds that refuse to open and dropped it, the fault is usually in the setup: a starting point set too high, an environment…
Choosing varieties that cope: the few lines you need
Let us set the limits of choosing varieties that cope first: it reliably improves a visible record of growth, and it does not deliver overnight.…
Roses on a balcony: standard, rhythm, floor
Advice on roses on a balcony tends to split in two: impossibly complex, or sold as one click. Reality sits between. It needs some patience and some…
The autumn rebloom: what you only learn by doing
Most people do not fail at the autumn rebloom from misunderstanding it. They fail because understanding is not doing. What follows is the doing part:…
Recording a flowering season: a cheaper route
Separate two things in recording a flowering season: the outcome you want and the action you can sustain. When the gap is too wide, shrink the action…
When to prune roses: out of the misconceptions
There is plenty written about when to prune roses and little you can act on. This piece stays concrete: every action can be done on the kitchen…
Training a climber: it isn't actually complicated
There is plenty written about training a climber and little you can act on. This piece stays concrete: every action can be done by the balcony…