Tips and guides

September Tomato Care Can Extend Harvest Into Late Autumn

September doesn’t have to mean the end of tomato season. A few targeted tasks can help more fruit ripen and keep plants productive well into late autumn.

5 min read

African Violets in Bloom Without a Break With a Few Simple Tweaks and Chemical Free Feeding

African violets can flower for months on end if you get the light, watering and pot size right. Add a light homemade feed and a couple of proven tricks, and they’ll reward you with healthy leaves and plenty of blooms year-round.

5 min read

Grapes Don’t Ripen After Picking and Timing the Harvest Is Everything

Grapes won’t sweeten or ripen once they’ve been cut, so choosing the right harvest moment makes all the difference. Learn how to grow, train, prune and pick vines for flavourful, properly ripe bunches.

5 min read

Why It Makes Sense to Put Grapes in the Freezer Overnight

Freezing grapes overnight transforms their texture into a sorbet-like bite and naturally boosts their sweetness. It’s an easy way to swap sweets for fruit and use grapes more creatively in the kitchen.

5 min read

Powdery mildew can be tackled without chemicals with several essential steps at once

Powdery mildew is a common fungal problem on both ornamentals and crops, showing up as a white-grey dusty coating and weakening plants over time. With good hygiene, better airflow, sensible watering and feeding, and more resistant varieties, you can keep it under control without reaching for chemicals.

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A Few Simple Tricks for Masses of Flowers on Hardy Hibiscus

Hardy hibiscus brings huge, dinner-plate blooms and a bold splash of colour to summer borders. With the right light, moisture and feeding, you can coax it into flowering heavily for weeks.

5 min read

How to Set Lawn Watering Times for a Healthy, Dense Turf

Watering at the right time helps moisture reach the roots, reduces disease pressure, and builds a tougher, denser lawn. Learn when to water, how long to run each zone, and how to adjust by season and soil type.

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Coneflower Handles Drought and Poor Soil But Never Do This One Thing

Coneflowers (Echinacea) are tough, pollinator-friendly perennials that cope well with drought and lean soil, but they need one non-negotiable: excellent drainage. Learn when to plant, how to care for them, and whether to deadhead or leave seedheads for birds.

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Fast Growing Trees for Partial Shade That Will Enhance Any Garden

Not every fast-growing tree needs all-day sun. These reliable choices cope well with partial shade and quickly add structure, seasonal colour and privacy to your garden.

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Gardening Tips to Boost Your Currant Crop and Keep Bushes Strong and Healthy

Currants need attention after harvest, not just in spring. Smart pruning, steady watering, balanced feeding and simple prevention now set up stronger bushes and a heavier crop next season.

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A Simple Trick for Getting Rid of Gnats in a Plant Pot Our Grandmothers Swore By

Bay leaves aren’t just for soups and sauces. Used the right way, they can help curb fungus gnats breeding in potting mix and noticeably reduce the annoying flies around houseplants.

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How to store potatoes so they last until spring without rotting

Potatoes often spoil over winter not because the crop was poor, but because of small storage mistakes. Keep them dry, cured, cool, dark, and well ventilated to prevent sprouting and rot until spring.

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Speed Up Tomato Ripening Without Unnecessary Chemicals and Get a Sweeter Crop Weeks Earlier

Tomatoes don’t have to stay green until late summer. With a few simple, chemical-free tweaks, you can push plants to ripen sooner and protect your crop from cool nights, wet weather and blight.

5 min read

Ten Proven Tips for a Thick, Green Lawn All Year Round

A thick, deep-green lawn doesn’t happen by accident—it comes from consistent, season-long care. Combine cleanup, feeding, mowing, and soil work to build a denser turf that stands up better to drought, weeds, and wear.

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What to Plant in an Autumn Bed So You Can Harvest Until Frost

Late summer warmth in the soil makes autumn sowings surprisingly fast to germinate, and many crops actually taste better after a light frost. With smart timing and a few reliable choices, you can keep harvesting right up to the first hard freezes.

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Peppers Aren’t Flowering as Expected, Here’s How to Get Them to Set Fruit

Pepper plants can look lush and healthy yet refuse to flower or set fruit. Check temperature, sunlight, feeding, watering stability and pollination to get them back on track.

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When to Plant Staghorn Sumac and Where to Place It for Spectacular Colour

Sumac is a tough, drought-tolerant ornamental that delivers dramatic autumn colour with minimal fuss. Success depends mainly on a sunny, open position, free-draining soil, and planting at the correct depth.

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Eight Places You Should Never Plant Cucumbers If You Want a Good Crop

Cucumbers grow fast and generously, but only when they have the right site. Avoid these eight problem spots to prevent weak growth, disease, and bitter or misshapen fruit.

5 min read

Bad autumn pruning of hydrangeas can cost you blooms all next season

Hydrangeas don’t all set flower buds the same way, so autumn tidy-up can either protect next year’s blooms or remove them. Learn when to deadhead, how hard to prune by type, and how to winter-protect plants in the ground and in pots.

5 min read

Sow Once and Your Border Will Bloom for Years

Self-seeding flowers keep coming back by dropping seed after flowering, filling gaps and creating a natural, meadow-like look with very little effort. Choose reliable species and tweak your tidy-up routine to encourage seedlings without letting the bed look messy.

5 min read

The gardening season isn’t over, here’s what you can still plant

September is often underestimated, yet it can save you a lot of work in spring. With warm soil and cooler air, it’s an ideal time for sowing hardy crops, planting bulbs, and getting ornamentals well rooted for an earlier start next year.

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Peppers don’t have to be just for one season

Peppers don’t necessarily have to end up on the compost heap after the final harvest. With the right autumn care, a healthy plant can overwinter and crop again next season without resowing.

5 min read

Invasive Asian hornet spotted in Bohemia as officials search for a nest

A single Asian hornet has been seen repeatedly in Liběchov in July and early August, raising concerns it may have arrived with transported goods. Authorities are urging the public to report sightings so any nest can be found and removed quickly.

5 min read

After a Heatwave, Tomatoes Benefit from the Right Pruning and a Protective Mulch Layer

In hot, muggy weather, tomatoes are far more prone to fungal disease when leaves stay wet and air can’t move through the plant. A few targeted cuts and a simple mulch “skirt” at soil level can dramatically reduce disease pressure.

5 min read

Orchids Covered in Blooms With One Simple Chemical Free Home Trick

Store-bought orchid fertilisers don’t always deliver more flowers. A gentle garlic infusion, used correctly and paired with the right conditions, can help encourage stronger blooming.

5 min read

Yew Turns Brown and Dries Out

When a yew starts browning and shedding needles, the cause is often a mix of growing-condition stress and fungal disease. Learn how to tell them apart and what to do first to help the plant recover.

5 min read

After Five Years in the Same Bed, Strawberries Stop Cropping Get Your New Strawberry Patch Ready in Time

Strawberry plants typically lose vigour after about five years in the same bed. Set up a new, sunny strawberry patch in late summer or early autumn for stronger rooting and a heavier crop next season.

5 min read

Pruning Fruit Trees Without Mistakes

Correct pruning shapes a fruit tree’s crown, supports reliable cropping, and prevents long-term stress or decline. Learn how timing, technique, and the tree’s age determine what to cut and when.

5 min read

Now Is the Right Time to Feed Pumpkins with Nettle Tea for a Superb Harvest

Pumpkins grow fast and need plenty of nutrients to size up properly. Homemade nettle tea is an effective, chemical-free feed when diluted correctly and applied regularly at the roots.

5 min read

How to Make the Most of a Big Tomato Harvest and Stock Up for the Whole Year

A hot, dry summer often brings a bumper tomato crop. Here are practical ways to preserve tomatoes so you can enjoy that summer flavour all winter long.

5 min read

Now Is the Perfect Time to Sow a New Lawn for Dense, Hard-Wearing Turf

Sowing a lawn from seed is cost-effective and lets you match the grass mix to your garden conditions. With the right timing, thorough preparation and gentle aftercare, you’ll get a dense, resilient lawn that lasts.

5 min read

What to Do With Peonies After Flowering So They Set Buds Again in Spring

Once peonies finish blooming, the aftercare you give them determines how well they store energy for next year’s flowers. Learn exactly what to cut, what to leave, and how to support the plant through summer.

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When Zucchini Can Be Toxic and How to Spot the Risk Early at Home and in the Garden

Zucchini isn’t inherently poisonous, but it can become unsafe when bitter cucurbitacins build up in the fruit. Learn what causes it, how to recognize the warning sign, and how to prevent it in the garden.

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How to Revive Almost Wilted Geraniums and Get Them Blooming Again

A geranium with yellowing leaves and bare stems can often be brought back if the roots are still alive. The key is correct diagnosis and a reset of the basics: pruning, watering, drainage, light, and feeding.

5 min read

After harvesting blueberries do these steps and you will pick twice as much next year

Once the last berries are picked, your blueberry bush is already setting the stage for next season. A little pruning, the right feeding, steady moisture and fresh mulch can mean far more flowers and fruit next year.

5 min read

How to Use Spent Lavender Blooms and Make Homemade Fabric Softener Quickly

Don’t throw away lavender stems and faded flower heads after summer pruning. Steep them in vinegar to make a gentle, naturally scented fabric softener in no time.

5 min read

Beer as an Easy Trick for Glossier Leaves and Stronger Houseplants at Home

A small amount of diluted beer can help clean dusty leaves and add a gentle nutritional boost to houseplants. Used sparingly, it can improve shine and overall plant vitality without complicated products.

5 min read

How to store garden vegetables properly so they last all winter

Cool temperatures and the right humidity make all the difference when storing home-grown vegetables. Learn how to handle, cure and store each crop so your harvest lasts for weeks or even months.

5 min read

Black bottoms on tomatoes are not blight and spraying won’t help

That black, leathery patch on the bottom of tomatoes isn’t blight but blossom end rot caused by disrupted calcium supply. With steadier watering, mulching and a quick calcium foliar feed, you can still save much of the crop.

5 min read

August decides whether cucumbers keep cropping or stay strong into October

Cucumbers often start to tire late in the season, with weaker nutrient uptake and more pressure from pests and disease. A simple root drench made with diluted vinegar is one option some gardeners use in August to help keep plants productive for longer.

5 min read

How to Prune a Plum Tree After Harvest So It Stays Healthy and Crops Better

A light summer prune after harvesting plums can open up the canopy, improve airflow and light, and help the tree set up better fruiting wood for next season. The key is timing and restraint—save heavy rejuvenation pruning for spring.

5 min read

Deadly Poisonous Plants in the Czech Republic That Can Harm Even by Touch

Some of the most dangerous poisonous plants aren’t found in distant jungles, but right along paths, in parks, and in ordinary gardens. Learn which common species can cause serious poisoning after just a few berries, seeds, or even careless handling.

5 min read

Drought tolerant exotic fruit trees suitable for Czech gardens

Fig, pomegranate and even some olives can cope with increasingly dry summers in parts of the Czech Republic—provided you pick hardier cultivars and give them a warm, sheltered spot. With the right siting and winter protection, these “holiday” trees can reward you with real harvests at home.

5 min read

First Aid After an Insect Sting or Bite What Really Helps and What Is a Myth

Most insect bites and stings are unpleasant rather than dangerous, but the right first aid can markedly reduce pain, swelling and itching. Learn what actually works, which home remedies are hit-and-miss, and when to seek urgent medical help.

5 min read

An August sowing of dill keeps fresh fronds coming until the first October frosts

Beds start to open up after early crops are harvested, and August is a perfect moment to sow dill again. With loose soil and steady moisture, you can keep harvesting tender, fragrant fronds through September and often well into October.

5 min read

When Arborvitae Browns from the Inside Proper Care and Fast Action Help

Browning inside arborvitae is common and can be caused by fungal issues, pests, or growing conditions such as shade and watering mistakes. With quick intervention and better care, plants usually recover and green up again.

5 min read

Carnations Back in the Spotlight, Easy Flowers for Vases and Gardens

Carnations are far more varied and long-lasting than their old-fashioned reputation suggests. With simple care, they’ll shine in a vase for weeks and thrive in beds, rock gardens, and containers.

5 min read

A hibiscus flower lasts only one day but it can bloom all summer if you know how

Hibiscus can cover itself in big, showy blooms for weeks on end, even though each flower is short-lived. Get the basics right—sun, evenly moist but well-drained soil, feeding, pruning, and pest checks—and flowering becomes longer and more reliable.

5 min read

Pinch Out the Pumpkin Tip and the Plant Will Put Its Energy into Ripening the Fruit

Hokkaido squash is a reliable winter squash with a rich, nutty flavour and straightforward cultivation. Learn when to sow and plant it, how to pinch it for better ripening, and how to harvest and store it for months.

5 min read

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From August you can build more in the garden without a permit

From August 2026, small garden structures will often be easier to build without a permit or notification, with a higher area limit than before. Wells and domestic wastewater treatment systems, however, will face stricter requirements and tighter oversight.

5 min read