Guides
How to grow it, and what to do when it's not happy.
250 guides to the plants worth growing, written for the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Watering, light, feeding, the problems that actually turn up, and whether it is safe around pets.
Browse by category
The same shelves the app sorts its 5,000 species into, narrowed to the ones a guide has been written for.
-
Succulents Drought-tolerant plants with thick, fleshy leaves. 9 guides -
Cacti Spined desert specialists, distinct from the broader succulents. 2 guides -
Tropical Lush, exotic plants from warm climates. 51 guides -
Flowering Plants grown for their blooms. 69 guides -
Herbs Aromatic and culinary plants for kitchen gardens. 12 guides -
Trees Woody perennials, from saplings to ancient giants. 21 guides -
Ferns and mosses Ancient non-flowering plants with delicate fronds and pads. 2 guides -
Vines and climbers Trailing and climbing plants that drape, scramble or wind. 4 guides -
Orchids Showy bloomers from the epiphytic, terrestrial and cool-growing groups. 2 guides -
Shrubs Multi-stemmed woody plants, including the Proteaceae family. 14 guides -
Bulbs Seasonal plants grown from bulbs, corms and tubers. 14 guides -
Grasses Ornamental and meadow grasses, for texture and movement. 5 guides -
Fruit and vegetables Edible crops for kitchen gardens and allotments. 45 guides
Browse by where it grows
Something wrong with it?
67 guides to the pests, diseases and disorders that turn up on the plants above. Each one starts with prevention and reaches for a spray last, if at all.
Browse by what to do now
Twelve monthly round-ups, written for the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Each one names the Southern Hemisphere equivalent.
- January Hellebores and snowdrops outdoors, and houseplants left alone. 17 guides
- February Light returns before warmth does, and the first bulbs open. 18 guides
- March Sowing starts outdoors, and houseplants are repotted. 20 guides
- April Tulips flower, tomatoes are sown, and strawberries go in. 22 guides
- May Frost risk ends and the tender plants move outside. 24 guides
- June The longest days, with sunflowers and hydrangeas at full pace. 26 guides
- July Peak growing and peak watering, with weekly feeding. 25 guides
- August Harvest, heat, and the border at its fullest. 22 guides
- September Autumn planting starts and houseplants come back indoors. 23 guides
- October Autumn colour, and tender plants brought in before frost. 21 guides
- November Tulips go in late on purpose, and indoor growth stops. 18 guides
- December Christmas plants indoors, and hellebores flowering outside. 19 guides