We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More » This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.

📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Gardening

Gardening help, plant identification tips, and practical MoneySaving insight for your garden, allotment, or indoor plants

Hotbin voucher codes
I've been thinking of getting a Hotbin to make compost and avoid all that turning, which gets harder by the day. On the verge of purchasing, I noticed a box for a "voucher code" but don't know where to find one. I thought green-fingered folks here might know, being into money saving. Any suggestions? Thanks. :j
brambles, roots, water absorption and damage
I have some cracks in my garage wall. A builder blames the bushes and wants to remove them and drill out the trunks at quite a cost. Structural engineer suggests a different cause and ignored the bushes, though the builder has pointed out a valid-sounding reason why the SE is wrong - I can go into detail if folks are…
Which Tree Should I Plant?
Hi I am a complete novice and would greatly appreciate some ideas on type of tree I should invest in. We live in a very busy "A" road that has traffic 24/7, our front garden is about 20 meters long. I am hoping to plant a tree that will be about 15 meters or so away from the house (should not impact light too much or…
How to protect tender plants
Would like to know what other gardeners do regarding tender plants. I do not have a greenhouse or cold frame. I want to protect a climbing black fuchsias plant. I do no know whether I should bring it in and leave in kitchen, leave in shed or outside and cover with barks in a sheltered position. Thanks
Lavender
No real point to this thread, just venting my frustration that every year my lavender reaches full bloom in October, to nicely coincide with the first decent frosts! I know we are at the most northerly end of its range, but all the gardening advice is to get it pruned back well before any risk of frost, which would mean…
Leaf Blowers
Can anyone recommend a decent leaf blower for under £100? I've toyed with the idea of getting a second-hand Stihl petrol blower for a while but this may be a bit overkill so an electric one will suffice but cant be too bulky and I'm not that bothered about it being able to vacuum the leaves up.
Ivy
Hi, I have recently moved into a new house. I noticed that one of the fences has ivy growing quite out of control from my side of the boundary. The neighbour recently told me that the ivy has destroyed the fence and is growing up the side of her house. She has asked the 2 previous owners to sort this but they never did. We…
Where are all the other birds
We’ve got several feeders in our garden, and until a month or so ago had many different species of bird visit every day. But now, we only ever really see Goldfinches, any time of the day there’s between 10 and 20 feeding Just wondered where/why the other birds aren’t around anymore?
Storage -sharp apples
Have just been given a large batch of perfect but rather sharp tasting apples. Variety unknown as they came from an old tree in the garden the owners inherited. Are they likely to sweeten over time if kept in storage? Any hints on how they might sweeten up, apart from adding sugar or honey when cooking them? Think they're…
Dandelion disaster
Moved into a house in December where the garden hasn't been cultivated since it was built 20yrs ago. The grass had been kept short and there wasn't a weed on it. Even the grass didn't grow until summer. Suddenly it started growing and it is almost wall to wall dandelions, clover and moss. I had 65ft garden before and only…
Any Sales on Cheap Seeds?
I used to look forward to the local Wyevale garden centre reducing their seed stock to 50p at the end of the summer season, but as they've recently been taken over by Dobbies, they don't do that anymore. I know I missed out on Wilko's sales and I've visited independant GCs but their stock have been replenished. Does anyone…
Self Watering/Self Wicking Pots & Planter
Hello, I'm hoping someone kind and wise people on the money-saving website might be able to share their wisdom and experience when it comes to self-watering/self wicking pots I'm currently thinking of making some of my own self-watering pots such as the ones on this youtube channel…
Patio
I’m revamping my patio, I’m putting in two retaining walls the idea been to make a large raised bed around most of the patio (see image - click to enlarge) I’m wondering what sort of growing medium I should use: screened soil, multi -purpose compost, a mixture of both ? I appreciate that I’ May have to add some sort of…
Neighbour has made my tree unsafe
My next door neighbour has a huge 5 story high tree in their garden near their house. Their neighbour the other side asked to "Trim" the overhanging branches which they agreed to. However they literally cut every single branch off at the fence line. This huge tree is now completely bald up the middle on one side. I've…
Too tall plant
I have an outdoor plant that's getting way too tall. No idea what it is but it looks like some kind of palm, very pointy leafs and not much else, just a big mass of pointy green. How do I cut it down because obviously it'll look weird with blunt ends. I know nothing at all about gardening and plants so thinking maybe it…
Trying to grow my own celery from scraps!
I have putting my own celery scraps in water to try and save money but when i try to pot them into soil once routed, they die on me! Any tips on what to do after the water stage, is the pot deep enough and does it need to go outside or in etc?:mad: https://ibb.co/cNvzvbd https://ibb.co/MB1MMcz
Good Cordless Mower
I'm a bit tired of faffing with wires so I'm looking for recommendations on a cordless mower. I currently have a Bosch and I'm quite happy with it (apart from the wires!) Thanks
Best way of Marking plant labels?
I've tried several so called "indelible" pen markers, none were particularly successful. I've noticed Monty Don on gardeners World using one and I assume his would be a good one that lasts more than a few months? I have used a Wilko label which you scratch the surface to write the identity etc, this works well duration…
Bay tree near building
A tiny bit - maybe just over 2.5 metres - of the garden in front of my flat is demised to me. When I moved in it was weed choked which seems to have kept the larger bushes in check. Now they are growing strongly. The bay tree in particular is racing away - how tall do they get and is it likely to become a danger to the…
Any tips for moving an entire garden?
I've been a keen GYO'er for years and we've been here for over 20 but now need to move sadly. My garden isn't huge but it's rammed to the rafters with fruit both in pots which will be easy to move but also established bushes in the ground eg blackberries,raspberries,loganberries every currant going and most tree fruits! We…

★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

View All

Gardening

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Categories

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free

Gardening

Discussion List

Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

🚀 Getting Started

Categories

Is this how you want to be seen?

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free