A gardening expert has issued guidance to Britain’s gardeners (stock) (Image: Johner Images via Getty Images)
The UK’s gardeners have been advised to remove a common garden feature that could face attack this month. As the days become longer and milder following a prolonged and damp winter, Britain’s gardeners are preparing for flourishing growing seasons ahead.
In particular, they have been urged to eliminate box hedges that could face assault from box-tree caterpillars, tiny insects that possess a black head, green body with black and white stripes.
The rationale for this, says Ann Treneman, is that despite reaching just four centimetres in length, they can consume “your lovely box ball or hedge”, she writes in the Times.
Discussing the struggle against these caterpillars, horticultural adviser to the RHS Nick Turrell described the psychological tactics required by gardeners, reports the Mirror.
He said: “It’s more of a case of outwitting the box tree caterpillar. We are smarter than it. We can work it out. It only eats one plant. It’s not fast moving.”
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Gardeners have been told to be wary of caterpillars and box hedges (stock) (Image: Getty)
However, Nick and Ann aren’t the only ones offering recommendations for what to do during the spring months as gardens return to life. Former gardener to King Charles Jack Stooks has produced a series of recommendations for what gardeners can do during the coming weeks before temperatures properly return to warmth.
For instance, he proposed that people should utilise their coffee grounds to help get people’s plants through the final remnants of winter. He said: “Don’t bin your coffee grounds. Put them to good use in your garden [especially] during the colder months. One of the easiest ways is to add them to your compost.
“Composting turns organic waste into nutrient-rich soil that boosts the structure and fertility. Coffee adds nitrogen, which is a key nutrient for healthy plant growth, and it also helps speed up the decomposition process.”
Coffee grounds have been suggested as one gardening tool (stock) (Image: Getty)
Moreover, Jack explained that coffee grounds assisted in retaining moisture and regulating soil temperature to enhance plant health.
He said: “You can also use coffee grounds as a mulch, which is a layer of material placed on top of the soil to help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature. Simply sprinkle the coffee grounds around the base of your plants, or mix them into an existing mulch layer.”
Alongside former royal gardener Jack Stooks, other gardening enthusiasts have advocated using coffee for keeping indoor houseplants thriving.
Writing on the Gardening Tips and Tricks Facebook page, Alice Wallis revealed: “I use my coffee machine every day, and instead of binning the capsules, I open them up to get the leftover grounds.
“They take a few days to dry, but I’ll then sprinkle this around the base of the houseplant. Seems to be working well after my friend recommended it.”
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