Search Results for green tips

Top tips for collecting flower seed this autumn

Collecting seed is not only easy but it’s a great way to create new plants for FREE. October is a good time to look and see what seed you might collect and either sow straight away or store indoors for spring sowing. Here are my tips to help you collect seed successfully:

• Whilst the flowers are blooming note what plants you might like to collect the seed from. Think about what has performed well, what colours you have liked or what veg has been delicious. You can tie a ribbon around a flower that you would like to collect the seed from as a reminder for later.

• Once the flowers have begun to fade or drop, the seedpods will emerge. Wait until they have turned from green to brown so they will be easier to split.

• Many people collect seed as they are deadheading their plants. Collect some seedpods but give the others a shake onto the ground to encourage them to grow where they land.

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Enjoying the Green Stuff this Summer

August is traditionally the month that families go away on holiday. This year that might look a bit different. But if you are going away here are some tips to look after your garden and plants whilst you’re gone:


1: Before you go, get up to date with any routine jobs like weeding and mowing the lawn and make sure all tools are put away and lock the shed.


2: Deadhead all your flowers before you go to encourage new growth.


3: Pick all your produce and either freeze or give it away.


4: Water everything well before you go.

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Bringing Christmas sparkle to your interiors

I am excited to be the Tandridge Independent’s first interiors columnist! Not only because I believe beautiful interiors should accessible to everyone, but I also love to champion local businesses and retailers who I come across when sourcing for my clients. We are lucky to have a wealth of creative talent on our Tandridge doorstep, as well as all the high street and online retailers and suppliers. As well as sharing insights, tips, and advice I’ll also be keeping you up to date on these. This month I’m all about adding Christmas sparkle to your homes! We all love a bit of glitz but the challenge is to create a festive look your family and friends will admire, without turning your home into Santa’s Grotto (unless that’s your intention!). Keep to a selection of colours or similar decorations for a consistently stylish look throughout. Here are my top tips, along with some of the big decoration trends this year. Keep it natural There’s something special about Christmas decor that brings the winter outdoors in. So, get foraging (but never on private land!). Collect pine cones, fallen fir branches and holly, and create candle decorations, front door wreathes and table settings. Slice oranges, air dry them and hang them on tree/fireplace garlands, or tie them onto presents as wrapping decorations. (Don’t forget to use paper wrapping tape this year!) The natural colour palette is also very on trend so whether natural materials or man-made decorations, keep to a green, brown and white palette with a little sprinkle of gold. Alternative trees I’m a fan of real Christmas trees, mostly because of the aroma it brings to our homes. But if you don’t want to be constantly hoovering up needles and/or you’re on a budget, why not invest in a reusable tree […]
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Letter from the Editor – November 2022

November already – where do the months go?! In fact, where do the years go? My team and I are gearing up to celebrate the three-year anniversary of our first edition of the new-look Caterham and District Independent, in December 2019. My small team was thrown in at the deep end and we quickly discovered how challenging producing your favourite free monthly paper is…Since then, we’ve learned plenty of new skills, met lots of fabulous people, changed our name and expanded our reach to cover the whole of Tandridge District. It’s been hectic, but we’ve loved (almost) every minute of it! Front page Our front page story this month concerns the proposed development of 140 houses at Godstone Quarry. Local residents have expressed concerns about the impact on traffic, pollution, school places and the area’s wildlife. We put these to the developers responsible for the plan. And the rest.. National Tree Week takes place at the end of the month: our article is illustrated by the beautiful old oak tree that the children of Hurst Green Infant School and Nursery are lucky enough to have in their grounds. As usual, we also have lots of stories about fantastic people doing amazing things in our community. Former soldier Steven Davies now spends his own time and money cleaning and restoring military graves: we find out about his recent work at St Mary’s Church in Caterham. We also feature the founder of charity The Lily Foundation, who has just received an MBE for her dedication to helping people suffering with mitochondrial disease, plus the pupils of Essendene Lodge School, who invited the Salvation Army to their Harvest Festival celebrations. On to our columnists: Chantal Baker, from Champ Consultants, talks us through how to find the right accountant, Hever Castle’s head gardener Neil […]
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