Purple Wellies

If you have ever wondered why you struggle to grow a particular group of plants, it might be down to the soil microbiology. The soil food web is teeming with both bacteria and fungi, both of which are preyed upon by protozoa, nematodes, arthropods, and other larger organisms such as animals and birds. All gardens differ in the quantity of microbes in the soil, and some of this is down to the type of plants we grow.

Requests in the village for gardening help are becoming more common, but how can you be sure of finding the right person for your requirements. I’ve listed a few things to consider before you begin.

To mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee the tree planting initiative, The Queen’s Green Canopy, is encouraging as many of us as possible to plant a tree. Summer is not the obvious time to plant new trees, but it’s an ideal time to visit public gardens to choose varieties.

As dutiful gardeners we keep our plants healthy by checking for pests and diseases, but how do you keep them safe from problems you can’t see? Honey Fungus, Armillaria, is one such hidden concern. It is the most destructive fungus in the UK and many gardeners will turn white at the mere mention of it, but should we be terrified of this silent killer?

There is no shying away from the fact that climate change is a real issue which needs to be addressed now. Headlines keep telling us that unless we make changes, global warming temperatures will surpass the 2°C target. There are changes and choices people can make, including in the gardening sector, to enable us to be more sustainable.