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Free-draining compost or cactus compostSilver sandNewspaperSheet of glassPencil (to prick out)Seed trayall year round20 minutes to sowFill a broad terracotta pot with a moist, gritty, loam-based compost, such as John Innes. Firm down and make the surface level

. You can buy ready-made sedum matting, which you simply cut to size and roll out.Bird tablePlastic sheetingWater-retentive mattingTape measureGalvanised tacks1m of 50mm x 12mm timber battenScrews and screwdriverSedum mattingSlow-release fertiliserspring

with holes in the base that is larger than the one in which the plant is growing, or one that is large enough to accommodate the roots.Existing plantNew pot or containerCompostWatering can or hosepipeFebruary - June20 minutesThoroughly soak the roots

Sempervivum and jovibarbaSempervivums, or houseleeks, are hardy, succulent, alpine plants that grow in the wild between rocks in mountainous regions. We picked out ten of the best varieties at BBC Gardeners' World Live 2009.Sempervivum means 'always

.cacti, succulents,greenhouse and house plantssummer, autumn, winterMore common garden pestsAphidsPhormium mealybugThripsWhitefly

of the rootball to about 2cm - 3cm below the rim of the container. Fill around the rootball with more compost mix, firming it in layers as you fill.Aim for the finished compost level to be 2cm - 3cm below the rim of the pot. This will allow you to water the plant

In this easy-to-make display, we've combined aloe with a contemporary planter to produce a simple but striking result. Aloe is a succulent plant which, although frost tender, will survive in a sheltered spot in summer. May - AugustMay - October30

Tiny sap-sucking scale insects. They are 1-6mm long, and their whitish, grey-brown shells are covered by protective, waxy scales. The insects don't cause too much damage unless they are present in huge numbers, but some excrete an unsightly, sticky

These tiny, sap-sucking pests may be only 0.5mm long but they can wreak havoc in a greenhouse or on houseplants indoors. For most of the year they are a pale green colour with two dark spots on their back; it's only in autumn and winter