News
Why putting up the Christmas tree early can lift your mood
Gareth J. Holloway
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Many people wait patiently until December to bring out the tree, but setting it up earlier may be doing your...
News
Lemon-Scented Geranium: the Natural Double Defence Against Ticks and Mosquitoes
Gareth J. Holloway
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As soon as the temperature climbs, two unwelcome visitors start turning up in lawns, hedges and along the edges of...
News
Farewell shower cubicle: Why the 'human washing machine' is currently going viral
Gareth J. Holloway
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In Japan, a futuristic washing capsule is currently making headlines: it is designed to clean and dry the entire body...
News
Weeds in paving joints: timing matters more than muscle
Gareth J. Holloway
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The real reason so many attempts fail is surprisingly often the wrong moment. Anyone who clears a patio, driveway or...
News
Tits in the Garden: How to Turn an Ordinary Lawn into a Safe Haven
Gareth J. Holloway
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More and more people want their garden to be more than just a patch of green decoration; they want it...
News
Ketchup: the surprising way to clean copper, brass and silver
Gareth J. Holloway
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Tarnished copper pots, patchy brass and silver spoons that have darkened over time: plenty of people leave these items alone...
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Why switching the heating off at night can backfire
Gareth J. Holloway
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Many households turn the heating off completely overnight to save money, only to be surprised by a larger annual bill...
News
Matches in a plant pot: a surprisingly simple way to deal with fungus gnats
Gareth J. Holloway
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In garden centres and florists, professionals have long reached for a remarkably simple remedy that almost nobody uses in the...
News
Is aluminium foil in the freezer healthy and practical?
Gareth J. Holloway
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But how healthy and sensible is that, really? A piece of roast, half a cake, two bread dumplings - quickly...
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The kitchen island is over : here’s what designers are already installing instead
Gareth J. Holloway
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In the centre of the kitchen sat a stout, grey kitchen island, parked there like an SUV and almost buried...
News
Plastic Forks in the Vegetable Bed: a Simple Low-Tech Defence
Gareth J. Holloway
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At first glance, it looks odd - but there is a clear purpose behind it. If you walk through allotments...
News
Why many gardeners are swapping tulips for Asian ranunculus this spring
Gareth J. Holloway
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Many home gardeners are turning away from classic tulips, while an old flower with generous pom-pom blooms is causing a...
News
When your patio is in the shade and the neighbour’s hedge keeps getting taller
Gareth J. Holloway
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Your patio is in the shade, the neighbour’s hedge keeps getting higher, and they still won’t respond? There is a...
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Thuja hedges under pressure: why councils are moving against them
Gareth J. Holloway
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If you ask a planning department today whether you may plant a dense, evergreen hedge along your boundary, the answer...
News
Why you should clean your phone twice daily during winter
Gareth J. Holloway
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Everyone seemed to be performing the same anxious winter routine: sniff, cough, tap, scroll, wipe a nose, tap again. At...
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The best air fryers for crispy chips with hardly any fat
Gareth J. Holloway
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Many kitchens now come with an air fryer, yet the results can be worlds apart: from perfectly crisp chips to...
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Ring introduces 4K video doorbells: new wireless models for your front door.
Gareth J. Holloway
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Ring, Amazon's smart home brand, is pushing the image quality of its video doorbells up a notch. For the first...
News
Sunflower Seeds That Bring Blue Tits Back to the Garden
Gareth J. Holloway
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Many home gardeners would love to see more birds in their garden, especially the lively blue tits with their yellow-and-blue...
News
A Cherry Tree Pruning Trick That Can Mean the Difference Between a Heavy Crop and a Few Scrawny Fruits
Gareth J. Holloway
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Many home gardeners pin their hopes on a generous cherry harvest each year, only to end up disappointed by a...
News
Lemon geranium: a scented plant that can help against ticks and mosquitoes
Gareth J. Holloway
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As soon as temperatures rise, mosquitoes start circling the patio light while ticks wait quietly in the grass. For children,...
News
Summer Bulbs and Tubers for a Colourful Garden: the Best Varieties and How to Grow Them
Gareth J. Holloway
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If you choose the right bulbs and tubers now in spring, you can enjoy a riot of colour by summer....
