A healthy garden
Practise first, or open the explanations as you go. A useful gardening answer includes the conditions in which it applies.
Salad harvest
What does cut-and-come-again describe?
Harvesting leaves while allowing suitable plants to regrow
Suitable salad crops can provide more than one picking if harvested appropriately.
What is a baby leaf?
A leaf harvested while young and tender
Baby-leaf growing is aimed at harvesting young leaves.
Why grow a small mix of suitable salad crops?
To provide varied leaves
Different suitable crops can give a varied salad, but need their own care.
What should you do before picking unfamiliar salad leaves?
Verify their identity
Only harvest plants whose identity and edibility are confirmed.
Why avoid overharvesting a weak young salad plant?
It needs healthy leaves to keep growing
Leave sufficient healthy growth and harvest only when the crop is ready.
Further reading: RHS guidance. Questions and explanations are original; no RHS endorsement is implied.
Herbs and habits
Which is a culinary herb?
Thyme
Thyme is a culinary herb; ornamental plants must not be assumed edible.
Why is mint often grown in a container?
To help contain its spreading habit
Mint spreads vigorously, and a container can help manage it.
Which culinary herb is commonly associated with needle-like leaves?
Rosemary
Rosemary has narrow, needle-like leaves; confirm identity before any culinary use.
Should all herbs receive identical care?
No
Mediterranean herbs and moisture-loving herbs can have different needs.
What makes a kitchen herb label useful?
A verified name and variety where known
Accurate labels help avoid confusion about care and identity.
Further reading: RHS guidance. Questions and explanations are original; no RHS endorsement is implied.
Pests and observation
What are aphids?
Small sap-feeding insects
Aphids feed on plant sap and can gather around soft growth.
Why inspect the underside of leaves?
Some pests and their signs occur there
Look at both leaf surfaces and growing tips when investigating a problem.
Should every insect in the greenhouse be treated as a pest?
No
Many insects are harmless or beneficial; identify what you see before acting.
What is a useful first response to unfamiliar damage?
Observe and identify the cause
Correct identification helps avoid unnecessary or ineffective treatment.
Why record where damage appears?
Patterns can help diagnosis
Damage on new growth, old leaves or particular plants can offer clues.
Further reading: RHS guidance. Questions and explanations are original; no RHS endorsement is implied.
Slugs and snails
Which sign may suggest slug or snail activity?
Slime trails with feeding damage
Slime trails and damaged young growth can be clues; inspect to confirm.
When are slugs often easier to spot?
During damp conditions or after dark
Many slugs are active in damp conditions and at night.
Are all slugs equally damaging to living plants?
No
Different species have different diets; many help break down dead material.
What can a tidy inspection around pots help reveal?
Sheltering slugs or snails
Check sheltered places while avoiding unnecessary disturbance to beneficial wildlife.
Is a hole in a leaf enough to prove slugs caused it?
No
Different pests and other causes can damage leaves; use more than one clue.
Further reading: RHS guidance. Questions and explanations are original; no RHS endorsement is implied.
Plant health
Does yellowing foliage always mean a plant needs feeding?
No
Water, light, root problems, pests and natural ageing can also affect leaf colour.
Why remove decaying plant debris from growing areas?
To support hygiene and inspection
Tidying decaying material can reduce some problems and make inspection easier.
What helps reduce overly humid greenhouse conditions?
Appropriate ventilation
Ventilation should suit weather and crop needs.
What should you check when a plant wilts?
Moisture and root conditions, among other causes
Wilting is not a diagnosis; drought and root problems can both contribute.
What makes a useful plant-health photograph?
Clear views of the whole plant and affected parts
Context and detail make identification and advice more reliable.
Further reading: RHS guidance. Questions and explanations are original; no RHS endorsement is implied.