Sproot blog
Simple Gardening That Works
Clear advice. No jargon. No gimmicks.
Gardening is often made more complicated than it needs to be. At Sproot, we share straightforward, beginner-friendly advice based on real growing experience. We help you understand what works, why it works, and how to avoid plants and products that promise a lot but often disappoint. Whether you have a garden, a balcony, or just a windowsill, you can grow with confidence. Our articles are written for beginners and everyday gardeners. You don’t need a garden, expensive tools, or expert knowledge to get started. If something sounds confusing, we’ve not explained it well enough — and like any good gardener, we’re always learning too.
Read our latest blog or choose from from the dropdown list below.
Buying LED Lights for House Plants
Why Use LED Grow Lights? Indoor light isn’t always enough, especially in:…
House Plants need light
Understanding the most important factor in plant growth Light isn’t just something…
How to grow house plants
A simple beginner’s guide Growing house plants isn’t about having “green fingers”.…
Feeding Plants in the Ground
When feeding plants in the ground, fertiliser on its own is not…
Do I Need Fertiliser?
Fertiliser – Good or Bad? What Is Fertiliser? A fertiliser is any…
Buying fertiliser
What to Look for When Buying Fertilisers Buying fertiliser can feel confusing,…
Watering plants
How Often Should I Water? The simple answer is: when your plants…
Damping off
Damping off is a common problem for seedlings. It’s caused by soil-borne…
Black Spot
Black spot is a common fungal disease in the UK, especially on…
Root rots
Root rot is a common problem in UK gardens and containers, caused…
Rusts
Rust is a fungal disease that affects many UK garden plants, causing…
Greenfly
Greenfly (also called aphids) are tiny, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new…
Caterpillars
Caterpillars are a common sight in UK gardens, especially in spring and…
White Fly
Whitefly are tiny white insects commonly found on the undersides of leaves,…
Red Spider Mites
Red spider mite is a common UK pest, especially in hot, dry…
Mildews
Mildew is a common plant disease in the UK, especially in damp,…
Peat Free compost
Problems with peat free compost? It might not be your fault. The…
A Beginners Guide to Buying and Using Compost
A Beginner’s Guide to Buying and Using Compost What is Compost? When…
How We Can Help You Garden More Naturally
How We Can Help You Garden More Naturally In over 40 years…
Fungus gnat Nematode control
Fungus gnat using Nematode control Identifying your flies is essential, you can…
Fungus gnats or Shore flies Identification
To identify the type of fly infestation in your plants, it’s important…
How to buy and look after cyclamen
If you looked in any old gardening book the idea of using…
Spring patio pots and hanging baskets
No need for your summer patio pots to be empty, you can…
Seed sowing
Seed sowing needs preparation, a bit like bringing up a baby.A baby…
Autumn patio pots and hanging baskets
The most important thing about planting autumn planters is timing, if you…
How to buy plants for summer planters
Making a summer planter is very easy, you can buy fully grown…
Growing pea shoots
How to start growing pea shoots You can grow pea shoots, this…
2022 new primroses
We grow a wide range of primroses and our primrose supplier often…
Are we there yet?
Is it time to start filling up your greenhouse? We still have…
Christmas pot decorations
Ever wondered how to make a Christmas pot wreath, we can help, its easier…
Good Poinsettia guide
How to choose a good poinsettia plant Poinsettia plants are grown on…
Vine weevil control
Vine weevils do I need to worry? Vine weevils (also known as…
Vine weevils plant favourites
Vine weevils have favourites, find out whats on the menu So where…
Autumn Bulbs
Spring flowering bulbs are harvested in late spring and summer and packed…
How to pot for health
Potting for health Why would you keep your plant in the same…
How to pot for growth
Potting plants for growth This page is about moving plants from a…
How to pot
Potting plantsThere are two kinds of pottingpotting for growth or potting for…
How to side shoot your tomatoes
Check your varieties, you don’t need to side shoot some types. Tall…
Summer planter and hanging basket ideas
Perhaps the easiest way is to choose a colour scheme Are you…
Choosing a summer basket
Hanging basketsOne of the most popular forms of container gardening, but judging…
Garden frost do I need to worry?
Still plenty of time for a frost I think the weather is…
Easy fill hanging baskets
How to get the best from your easy fill baskets. Some people…
Tomato plants a quick way to start an argument
Growing tomato plants how difficult can it be? Nothing is quite as…
Help I have sown my tomatoes to soon!
It is very easy to sow your tomatoes too soon, sometimes it…
Hardy primroses
Primroses our most popular spring flower, stunning colours and sweet scent. Now…
Managing your on-line expectations
Managing your on-line expectations During my research of on-line sellers I found…
Selected Online offers
Special Online offersWe have checked the small print for you Special price…
Protect your seedlings use plug trays
Protect your seedlings When I started gardening many years ago, seed was…
Seed sowing with a damp stick
A simple way to sow seeds singly or in clumps using only…
Can I use my unheated greenhouse now?
Can I use my unheated greenhouse now? I think it depends on…
