Office Department's blog

A large range of nutrients are necessary for your garden to grow, here we outline their importance and the options that are available.

It is important to understand what nutrients are needed for each stage of plant growth.

Essential Soil Nutrients

The three most important elements required in the greatest quantities are:

Nitrogen - for leaf and shoot growth. This can easily be leeched out of the soil but, if there is too much present, the plant will develop too quickly leading to soft growth.

There's no doubt that gardening can be expensive, plants and packets of seed aren't cheap but there are always methods to cut costs. One of the most satisfying and ultimately rewarding ways to save money is to take softwood cuttings.

Taking cuttings, whether from your own plants or ones you see in friends' gardens, is a fantastic way of propagating plants free of charge.

Orchids in pots, especially the ‘Moth Orchid’ or Phalaenopsis, are widely available and popular gifts. Placed on a window sill, they bloom for long periods when pruned, watered and fed correctly. In this article we'll share some important orchid plant care tips.

Good drainage is essential, orchids like a drink but don’t want to be drowned. Water your orchid sparingly every week or 10 days to keep the plant moist but not waterlogged.