Product Reviews

In April 2019 I got an Eden Burford greenhouse and this is my honest review of it. Basically I think it's an excellent greenhouse from a good company but they could do better with the instructions. Eden Greenhouses have been around since 1986...

Plastic has a bad reputation nowadays, a victim of it's own success. It's such a useful product, very cheap to make with millions of uses. Because it is so cheap, it's economical for things that are used once and then thrown away. Packaging being the...

This is a review of the self-watering salad and vegetable planter manufactured by Greenhouse Sensations. If you've read my rambles over the years, you'll know that I'm a big fan of my Quadgrow planters . They work on a simple principle, supplying...

I was contacted by Niall Magee of Bustaseed a while back. He asked if I'd like to try their new modular propagation system. I thought they looked really interesting so, of course, I said yes. Growing in Modules Often I'll start seeds in a half...

Greenhouse manufacturer Halls have just launched a new greenhouse range – the Halls Qube Greenhouse. I've been given an early look – it will be available in early 2019 – so here's my Halls Qube Greenhouse Review Halls are one of the bigge...

Having had a hotbin composter for a while now, I'm convinced it is something that every house should have - efficiently converting most kitchen waste as well as green garden waste into excellent compost. It takes no more room than a fridge and doesn't...

This year I'm excited to be trying out a new Quadgrow growing system for my greenhouse tomatoes from those clever people at Greenhouse Sensations . I'm pretty sceptical about claims by products to improve yields but I can see the logic behind the...

As readers of my diary know, I have a Vitavia greenhouse myself. In fact I've had two Vitavia greenhouses, the first one having been destroyed in a freak storm. I don't blame the greenhouse for its destruction, the winds were gusting in excess of 100mph...

Back in the summer, I started hearing about a weedkiller that was effective against horsetail from Neudorff. Horsetail is a really difficult weed to control either chemically or mechanically. So I obtained some to try out. Happily for me, I don't have...

Best known as the market leader in domestic and commercial polytunnels, First Tunnels also make a small mini polytunnel plant protector. But does it live up to the First Tunnels reputation? What is the First Tunnels Mini Polytunnel? The First...

This is my first year with the Geopod propagator so I've yet to see quite how effective it will be. Having said that, knowing it's pedigree, I'm very confident it will do the job. It's from Greenhouse Sensations who made the Vitopod Propagator that...

Back in 2008 I was treated to a Vitopod electric propagator. My conclusion after 16 years is that it is one of the best investments a serious gardener can make. It's not just useful for propagating, it's great for over-wintering tender plants as well....

AL-KO 520BR Lawn Mower When I said I wanted a lawnmower and ran over what sort of workload the poor thing would be in for, my pal Gwiz from the Allotment Forum straight away suggested the Al-Ko self-propelled petrol range. Thanks! It arrived...

Back in August I saw an article by Tony Buckland in Kitchen Garden magazine singing the praises of some unusual hoes from Russia. I've used various hoes in the past but I'd never seen ones quite like this before. They're imported into...

The stirrup hoe operates like any other hoe, cutting the weeds just below the soil surface. However, because it is pulled rather than pushed it is easier to control reducing accidental damage to plants. Types of Hoe - Dutch, Draw & Stirrup...

One thing all gardeners should know is that it is important to have a spade with a handle that is long enough. Too short a handle mean that you never straighten up whilst digging and backache becomes a certainty. Alan Waterfall of Standwell Tools...

For some years I've been the proud and happy owner of a Mantis 2 stroke tiller. I’ve also got a large Merry Tiller rotavator, which will happily break up the soil for me but it never gets a particularly fine tilth which is where the Mantis comes into i...

This article is courtesy of Simon Drummond and originally appeared in the Smallholder and the Allotment and Leisure Gardener magazines in 1999. I can testify that for working stony soils they are superb tools, far superior to the traditional digging spade....

When I was sent this article, I must admit to being very sceptical. 'Magic' solutions and miracle cures have usually turned out to be snake oil of no real value. Still, Kew Gardens are endorsing the product and the science, as far as I can judge...

I've just bought a WORX WG169E.5 20V Cordless Strimmer with a 2Ah battery and 1 hour charger despite already having a corded flymo strimmer and a petrol strimmer / brushcutter. What do you do when you don't want the hassle, noise and power of...