Care Guides
Care guides by Rupert Foxton-Smythe
426 guides
Plant Feeds for Pot Plants
Plants growing in fertile garden soil make most of their own food, but those grown in pots need supplementary feeding to stay healthy.
Insecticides and Pesticides for House Plants
The best way to hold insects and other pests at bay is to keep your house plants healthy. But if problems occur, it’s important to use the right insecticide for the job.
Bonsai: The Art of Growing Miniature Trees
The art of growing miniature trees, which rarely exceed two feet in height, is a living art form.
Exhibiting Daffodils at Flower Shows
The narcissus must now compete with the chrysanthemum for pride of place as an exhibition flower.
Control of Aphids on Indoor Plants
Aphids or greenfly are the most common and widespread of all the pests which attack house plants. Usually green in colour they may also be black, grey or orange.
Growing Anemones Indoors
Although the cut-flower anemone is rarely used for indoor culture, it will provide an early spring display if grown under cool, light conditions, in fact it is better suited to the warm or cool…
Springtails and How They Damage Plants
Springtails are minute, grey-white, wingless insects that live off rotted plant matter and organisms in the soil.
Planting an Indoor Hanging Basket
Hanging baskets bring plants up to eye level or above and can often show them off much more effectively than when viewed on a table or the floor.
Caring for Tender Bulbs
Some of the most popular house plants are grown from tender bulbs. By keeping to their natural cycle of rest and growth, you’ll get colourful blooms year after year.
Planting Herbs in Containers
Herbs are annual, biennial, perennial or woody plants, grown mainly for their flavour and aroma.
Don’t Over-Water House Plants!
The question of watering is a difficult one to answer. Most newcomers to the art of indoor gardening would like to be told that this plant will require watering once a week, and that one twice, but…
The Function of Roots
Roots are usually the first part of the plant to emerge when a seed germinates. This tells us something about their importance in the life of a plant and the role they play.