The Michael Griffiths

The Michael Griffiths Michael Griffiths
🪴 Gardening tips and tutorials
📖 Author of "The Easy Garden" OUT NOW - https://geni.us/TheEasyGarden

11/06/2026

Hydrangea cuttings tips 🌿👇

If your hydrangea cuttings keep failing, it’s usually because of one simple mistake that causes them to wilt before they ever root 👀

Hydrangeas are actually one of the easiest shrubs to propagate in UK gardens, but only if you stop them drying out in the first few minutes after taking them.

Take a healthy, non-flowering shoot about 6 inches long (around 3 sets of leaves) and cut just below a node.

Then work quickly, hydrangea cuttings wilt fast once exposed to air.

Use a free-draining mix like 50/50 compost and perlite or horticultural grit, remove the lower leaves, and reduce the top leaves to slow moisture loss.

Instead of planting in the centre, place cuttings around the edge of the pot, this helps maintain humidity and improves success rates 🌱

Finish with a plastic bag or propagator lid to trap moisture and stop wilting.

This simple hydrangea propagation method can dramatically improve rooting success at home.

👇 What’s the plant you’ve struggled to take cuttings from?

09/06/2026

Lawn mowing tips 🌱👇

Most people mow their lawn every week… but very few are actually doing it in a way that helps their grass thrive 👀

And some of the most common mowing habits are quietly damaging your lawn.

One of the biggest mistakes is mowing at the wrong time — especially early in the morning when the grass is still wet with dew. This can lead to clumping, uneven cuts, and extra stress on the lawn.

Other common issues include mowing in the same direction every time (which can cause compaction and ruts), and removing too much grass in one cut, which weakens growth.

The good news?

These are easy fixes that can completely change the health and appearance of your lawn 🌿

🌱 Avoid mowing wet grass where possible
🌱 Change your mowing direction each time
🌱 Follow the one-third rule (never cut more than 1/3 of the grass height)

Small changes like these can lead to a thicker, greener, healthier lawn over the season 🌿

👇 Which of these lawn mowing mistakes have you been making?

09/06/2026

DIY garden pallet planter 🌿👇

Want more growing space without spending a fortune?

An old wooden pallet can be turned into a simple garden planter in just a few steps.

It’s perfect for growing herbs, strawberries, salad crops, flowers, and other small plants, making it ideal for small gardens, patios, and beginner gardeners.

The best part?

You can create a raised planter for a fraction of the cost of buying one.

✅ Cheap garden project
✅ Great for small gardens
✅ Ideal for growing your own food
✅ Recycles old pallets

One of the easiest garden DIY projects you’ll ever try 🌱

👇 What would you plant in a pallet planter?

07/06/2026

Black spot on roses 🌹👇

If you’ve spotted black spots and yellowing leaves on your roses, don’t ignore it.

Black spot is one of the most common fungal diseases affecting roses and, left untreated, it can spread throughout the plant and cause significant leaf drop.

The good news?

One of the most effective things you can do is act quickly.

✅ Remove affected leaves from the plant
✅ Pick up any infected leaves from the ground
✅ Dispose of them don’t add them to your compost heap

Good garden hygiene is one of the best ways to reduce the spread of black spot and keep your roses healthy throughout the growing season 🌿

👇 Has black spot already appeared on your roses this year?

06/06/2026

Most people plant too deep 👀🌱

And it’s one of the biggest reasons plants fail to establish properly in UK gardens.

If the planting depth is wrong, you can end up with:
❌ Poor root growth
❌ Water stress issues
❌ Plants struggling or dying back

The simplest way to get it right every time is to stop guessing and use the nursery pot as your guide 🌿

Place the pot in the planting hole first, check the depth, then backfill around it. Once it fits perfectly, remove the pot and plant directly into that space 👌

This works for shrubs, perennials, trees, and most container-grown plants.

It’s a small gardening tip, but it massively improves root establishment and long-term plant health 🌱

👇 Do you usually measure planting depth or just guess?

05/06/2026

Does your olive tree look more dead than alive? 🌿😅

Spindly branches, sparse leaves, and peacock spot can make it feel like your olive tree is beyond saving… but in many cases it just needs the right care 👀

One of the biggest mistakes people make is doing nothing.
A good prune encourages fresh growth, regular watering through the growing season helps keep the tree healthy, and a simple feed every few weeks can make a huge difference 🙌

Yes, olive trees are drought tolerant…
But if you want a lush, healthy tree rather than one that’s just surviving, they need a bit more attention than most people realise 🌱

The best part? You can often transform an olive tree in just a few months.

04/06/2026

People are PAINTING their lawns green… and honestly, I can’t decide whether it’s genius or completely ridiculous 😅🌱🎨
In some parts of the world, lawn paint is used to make dormant grass look lush and green without using huge amounts of water 💧
The arguments for it are:
✅ Instant green lawn
✅ Uses less water than trying to keep grass green in drought
✅ Non-toxic formulations are available
✅ Fades as the grass grows
But on the other hand…
It’s literally painting your grass 👀😂
Personally, I don’t mind a lawn going brown in summer. Grass naturally becomes dormant during dry periods and usually greens up again when the rain returns 🌿
But I know this one is going to divide opinion 🙌

👇 Is lawn paint genius… or cheating? Be honest 👀

03/06/2026

Most people buy a pressure washer the wrong way. 👇
They look at the pressure (bar/PSI) and assume the bigger the number, the better the machine.
But that’s only half the story.
Flow rate is just as important.
A pressure washer with high pressure but low flow can take much longer to clean the same surface than a machine with a better balance of pressure and water flow.
Before you buy your next pressure washer, check BOTH numbers.
It could save you money, time, and a lot of disappointment.
Save this reel for the next time you’re comparing pressure washers and share it with someone who’s shopping for one.

02/06/2026

Most people think deadheading roses is just removing the old flower 🌹👀

But that’s only step 1.

There’s a second cut that many gardeners miss, and it’s the one that encourages stronger new growth and more flowers 🌿🙌

It’s simple, takes seconds, and can make a huge difference to how your roses perform throughout the summer.

🌹 More blooms
🌱 Stronger growth
✂️ Better-looking plants

Once you know what to look for, you’ll never deadhead roses the same way again.

👇 Did you already know about the five-leaflet trick?

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