This archive brings together practical, experience-led articles from The Backyard Farmer, covering gardening, DIY, indoor growing, foraging, reviews, and sustainable living. Each post is written with real-world use in mind — focusing on working with nature, building practical skills, and making sustainable choices more accessible.
White patches on courgette, pumpkin and squash leaves are often one of two things: natural silver markings or powdery mildew. The easiest way to tell the difference is to look at where the white actually is. Natural markings look like they are in the leaf,
Established free-standing apple trees are usually pruned while dormant, from roughly November to early March in the UK. The aim is not to cut everything back. Winter pruning is mainly about removing badly placed wood, opening the crown and keeping the tree productive and manageable.
If your pumpkin plant is covered in flowers but has no pumpkins yet, it does not necessarily mean something is wrong. Male flowers usually appear before female flowers, so a newly flowering plant may simply need more time. If female flowers are appearing but the
Introduction Clematis, with its stunning flowers and vigorous growth, benefits greatly from clematis obelisk support in the garden. To thrive, this beautiful climber needs proper support. An obelisk provides both a functional and decorative solution. By guiding your clematis to grow vertically, you enhance your
In this article, we will look into hydrangea plant care and pruning. You can find Hydrangeas in the UK in many gardens, and it is easy to see why. The hydrangea plant produces huge and beautiful flowers throughout most of the year. British gardens will
Introduction: When to Prune Roses in the UK Want your rose bushes to bloom big and healthy each summer? It all starts with good timing. In the UK, the best time to prune most roses is late winter, from January to early March, just before