Garden Care

How to espalier ornamental and fruit trees

Espalier is the training of a tree to be decorative as well as producing fruit. They do not require any special skills by the grower, but take time to achieve good results.
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How and when do I water my plants?

Every gardener these days knows the importance of being water-wise in the garden. Here are some helpful hints from t he Texture Plants Team.
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How do I plant my new plants?

How you ease your plants into their new environment plays a large part in determining whether they make it or not. With these helpful tips we can increase your success rate.
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Why do my plants keep dying?

There’s lots of reasons why plants may die – old age, drought, the dog sat on it… But sometimes plants die for no apparent reason…
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How to protect your garden from frost.
It is important to heed the warning when your local forecaster announces 'a chance of frost', and take precautions to protect your garden. It is possible to extend your growing season by several weeks if you are able to keep your plants alive through a single early frost.
 
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How to control weed and pest problems in the garden.

It is most important to prevent grass and weeds growing around your plants and through your garden beds, since grass and weeds severely inhibit the growth of plants. Also another probem are Aphids are small insects which thrive on just about any plant. Any gardener knows what aphids are and may consider them there number one enemy. 
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How to prepare your soil for planting

The importance of thorough soil preparation cannot be stressed too much – it is the key to creating a successful garden. The ultimate success of your garden depends just as much on soil preparation as it does on the correct choice of plants for your soil type and the conditions.
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How do I and why do i stake my new trees?

There are many ways of staking trees, and many old wives tales on how and why it should be done. This is the way we stake trees and the way we recommend you do it too. 
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Whats the best way to plant and maintain a hedge or a living screen?

So you want to screen out your neighbours, cut out the traffic noise or enclose an outdoor area. You could build a fence 2 metres high, but how sterile is that? You are much better to plant a hedge or screen of native or exotic plants to filter and cool the air, produce flowers, attract birds and create a lovely outdoor room.
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How and why do i mulch my garden?
One of the secrets of successful gardening is the lavish use of organic mulch.
 
In Christchurch’s temperate climate with long dry summers every year, any measure that reduces the need for watering and saves on water is surely commonsense.Bare ground heats up very easily under the relentless Canterbury sun. Roots can’t grow in baking hot soil.
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