Weapons and tools | Nigel Farage | Oracy in schools | Resomation | Voyaging’s not for me

I note that in the photo of King Charles visiting Scotland in your print edition (Monarch north of the glens, 29 July), he has a dagger tucked into his sock. How does this fit with the man arrested recently by armed police for carrying garden tools home from his allotment ? No doubt the king had armed police with him who took a different view of someone carrying a weapon in public.
Mike Lowcock
Sandbach, Cheshire

• Nigel Farage is surely right that lawlessness on the streets is being compounded by the arrival of “droves of unvetted men into our towns and cities” (Editorial, 29 July). Perhaps he could simply ask his supporters to stay at home.
David Pafford
Bowerhill, Wiltshire

Strangely, this plant benefits from mild stress and ‘benign neglect’. So limit the nutrients and watch it flower!

What’s the problem?
My Hoya carnosa cutting, taken from my father’s treasured plant, bloomed once, in 2022, but has not flowered since. How can I encourage it?

Diagnosis
Hoyas, often known as wax plants, have a reputation for thriving on “benign neglect”. They flower best when slightly stressed, as this triggers their reproductive mode. Regular watering and abundant nutrients will encourage leaf growth rather than blooms.

Instead of relentlessly weeding and trimming, take time to stop and stare – to marvel at the sheer beauty of nature

The growing season is at its peak. There have been harvests already and more to come. The boughs of our plum tree bend towards the ground, heaving with fruit, and there are new cucumbers and courgettes swelling with each warm summer day.

My season started late, and since the spring equinox I feel as if I’ve been stumbling while I try to catch up. My crops are being outpaced by the creeping buttercup, couch grass and nettles that sneak under the chicken-wire fence. Self-seeded lemon balm and teasels pop up wherever there’s a thumbnail’s worth of bare soil. While it’s a glorious time in the veg patch, all I seem to feel is overwhelm.

Heading off for summer? From self-watering pots to plant straws, these expert hacks will keep your plants hydrated and happy

• Beat the heat: expert tips for keeping cool in hot weather

Summer holidays are a joy for us, but not always such a thrill for our houseplants. Few things are worse than returning home to discover a horticultural graveyard. Plants can survive unsupervised during the winter, but heatwaves, a lack of ventilation, and no one around to water mean summer holidays are a recipe for disaster.

But fear not. A bit of planning and the right kit can make all the difference between a happy homecoming and a shrivelled mess. Whether you go full-tech or just trust in a good soak and a friend, there’s a holiday plant-care method for every budget and plant. Regardless of how long you’re going away for, here are some of the best tips and tricks to keep your houseplants alive, hydrated and happy in your absence.

Just like humans, plants benefit from cleanliness: sterilise your tools and pots, wipe down leaves to remove dust, and check for pests or disease

What’s the problem?
I’ve heard “plant hygiene” mentioned, but I’ve no idea what it actually means.

Diagnosis
Good plant hygiene is the gardening equivalent of washing your hands – simple, essential, yet often overlooked. Neglecting plant hygiene can lead to the spread of pests, diseases and infections. Using dirty scissors, pots or tools can transfer fungi, bacteria or pests from one plant to another. Similarly, letting dust build up on leaves can restrict photosynthesis.

These quintessential country flowers relish the dappled shade often cast in built-up areas – and there’s a variety for everyone

I’ve only ever gardened in cities, and I’ve lived in them for more than half my life, but my rural roots show when it comes to foxgloves. They are steeped in the lore of Beatrix Potter illustrations and the first warm walks of the year down country lanes. Because they typically bloom in May, it’s rare to see a Chelsea flower show without any, and it’s here I’ve learned that these quintessential cottage garden flowers work just as well in contemporary urban gardens, where some varieties can be cajoled into a container and relish the part-shade often found in built-up areas.

When I first started gardening, I was baffled by the distinction between annuals and perennials, and ashamed to say so. For the uninitiated, annuals begin and end their lifecycle (growing from seed, flowering, setting seed and dying) in a year, while perennials return in subsequent years, sometimes bulking up or waning, depending on their longevity and the growing conditions. Then there are biennials, which complete their lifecycle over two years, and this is the group most foxgloves belong to. That means that if you want flowers next year, you’re nearing your last chance to sow them. They will put down roots and create a rosette of green leaves by Christmas, before sending up flower spikes, blooming and setting seeds next summer.