Ruth Hayes
Ruth is the gardening editor of Amateur Gardening magazine and is horticulturally trained, with a qualification from the Royal Horticultural Society.
Her work for Homes and Gardens and Amateur Gardening, the world's oldest weekly gardening publication, involves matching gardening tasks with each season, covering everything from sowing and planting, to pruning, taking cuttings, dealing with pests and diseases and keeping houseplants healthy. She covers ornamental plants and edible crops and everything she writes about and photographs is in her own garden, a mature plot in the south of England that has been a work in progress since her family moved there in 2012.
Her main role is to carry out, write about and photograph the jobs that readers need to do that week to keep their garden looking its best. She also spends time testing many of the new products that arrive on the gardening market. Ruth's main interests are gardening for wildlife and organic gardening, as she firmly believes you don’t need to ‘nuke’ pests and problems with toxic chemicals, nor use peat composts to produce the garden of your dreams.
Latest articles by Ruth Hayes
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How to overseed a lawn – step-by-step guide to repairing damaged grass
Get your grass summer-ready with our expert tips
By Ruth Hayes • Last updated
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How to make comfrey fertilizer – discover a natural way to boost your plants
Our expert explains why comfrey is an excellent natural fertilizer, plus tips on how to use it on your plants
By Ruth Hayes • Published
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How to prune forsythia – expert tips for prolific flowering
Keep your forsythia flowering and healthy with our expert advice
By Ruth Hayes • Published
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When and how to prune viburnum bushes – expert tips to keep them in good health
Discover how and when to complete this essential task
By Ruth Hayes • Published
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How to transplant a shrub so it thrives in its new location
Our expert tips will teach you when and how to move a shrub safely and without killing it
By Ruth Hayes • Published
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How do you warm up soil? Easy ways to prepare the ground for planting seeds
These simple yet effective soil warming techniques will get it ready for late winter and early spring plantings
By Ruth Hayes • Published