Cucumber

Tomatoes splitting after rain: why it happens — and what actually helps

Three dry days last week, then a thunderstorm. The next morning, nine split tomatoes lay under the plant. Not because of the rain. Because of the two weeks before it.

Raised bed while you're on holiday: who waters when you're gone

Two weeks away in high summer, and the bed sits in full sun. No plan, and you come back to hay. One hour of prep, and you come back to tomatoes. The low-tech tricks that actually last — plus the things you must not do before you leave.

Mulching a raised bed properly: straw or grass clippings — and how thin

A 5 cm mulch layer halves how often I water — I counted it over two summers. Why straw and grass clippings both work, the one mistake that always goes mouldy, and when to mulch.

Why Cucumbers Turn Bitter — and What to Do About It

Bitter cucumbers are almost never bad luck. Usually it's water stress, sometimes the variety. How to spot it at harvest and how to stop it.

A watering timer for your raised bed: how the bed survives your holidays

An automatic watering computer on the tap, plus a drip line — and your raised bed waters itself, even when you're away for two weeks. How to set it up, program it properly, and dodge the one mistake that ruins everything.

Zucchini in a raised bed: why one plant is enough — and how to carry it through summer

One zucchini plant, two mistakes, a summer full of fruit. Watering, mildew, harvest: what the plant actually needs, without the garden jargon.