News

  1. Butterfly on organge flowers

    B&Q announce ban on growers treating any flowering plants with neonicotinoid pesticides

    To help support wildlife and address the declining bee population, home improvement retailer B&Q announced its flowering plant range, available from February 2018, will be grown free from all neonicotinoid pesticides.

  2. Chris Collins holding young seedlings

    One Man & his organic plot - Part Three

    Our head of Organic Horticulture Chris Collins updates us on his balcony and allotment progress including transplanting young plants, welcoming a family of blue tits, and gorging on fresh salad leaves.

  3. Insects on sunflower

    Major advances in the fight against neonics

    This week, two important steps have been made in the fight to rid our gardens and countryside of damaging neonicotinoid insecticides.

  4. Randbow chard plant

    Organic Market Report 2017

    A recent report from the Soil Association reveals that the UK organic market increased by over 7% in 2016 to £2.09bn.

  5. A slug in soil surrounded by leaves

    Farms could slash pesticide use without losses, research reveals

    Study shows almost all farms could significantly cut chemical use while producing as much food, in a major challenge to the billion-dollar pesticide industry.

  6. A person digging a hand shovel in to a raised bed

    Leicestershire master Gardeners are recruiting for volunteers!

    Leicestershire Master Gardeners have received the good news that their contract has been renewed for the next three years with Leicestershire County Council Public Health. Due to this news they are now recruiting for new volunteers across Leicestershire.

  7. Heritage seed packet

    Wishing all of our members a productive growing year...

    The Heritage Seed Library has now completed all seed orders for this year, dispatching around 20,000 packets of heritage seed to our members to grow and enjoy.

  8. Chris Collins holding young seedlings

    One man & his organic plot

    Our Head of Organic Horticulture, Chris Collins takes us on his allotment journey...

  9. person in white suit spraying weed killer on plants.

    EU advises that glyphosate is safe - despite independent research findings

    The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has announced that glyphosate is not carcinogenic - despite the reports of over 90 independent scientists, evidence of cancer in two separate studies on mice, and a classification from the IARC (International Agency for Research into Cancer) that the chemical is 'probably carcinogenic'.

  10. person in white suit spraying weed killer on plants.

    New Study Shows Sequence of Exposure to Pesticides Affects Toxicity

    For the first time scientists have proved that pesticides interact - even when they have different chemical make up and are applied at different times. This results in a build-up of related damage in surrounding wildlife.