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The cause of the splits is invariably irregular watering. When the tree suddenly gets a hefty drink following a period of drought, the apples quickly expand, which often leads to the skin cracking. The fruit usually produces a corky, scab

Pears ripening on the tree are damaged by wasps excavating holes into the soft, juicy flesh. The holes are initially created by hungry birds, then wasps are attracted by the juice and move in.Pears that are still on the tree display hollowed out cavities, often with wasps still i...

Just as your fruits are beginning to ripen, grey mould (a fungus called botrytis) can ruin them. Small brown spots form on the skin, then spread over the whole fruit, turning it soft and brown. As the fruit deteriorates, a fuzzy grey layer of mould

compost and keep them in a bright place to ensure they germinate.Chilli seeds e.g. 'Cayenne'Good quality seed compostSmall pots x2ClingfilmJanuary - May10 minutes to sow the seedsJuly - AugustFill two small pots with seed compost. Water the compost

More advice on growing fruitMake the most of summer raspberriesGrow early strawberriesGrow blueberries and cranberriesEnjoy a long season of raspberriesBrowse a variety of fruit

Monty demonstrates how to plant autumn-fruiting raspberries, and offers tips on soil preparation, planting depth and spacing. October-NovemberMore on growing raspberriesHow to enjoy a long raspberry seasonVideo advice ongrowing raspberries

Watch Monty Don as he experiments with a new method of growing summer-fruiting raspberries, which claims to yield fruit in the first year.springMore on growing raspberriesRead Lila Das Gupta's blog on growing raspberriesMaking the most of summer

Forcing rhubarb by covering the crowns will encourage the plants to make early growth. These forced stalks can be harvested for use in cooking when they are 20cm - 30cm long and make a useful substitute for fruit when there is little else in store

As soon as your strawberry plants have finished fruiting it's time to clear away all the straw or matting to discourage slugs and snails from nibbling at the plants. It's also a good time to raise some new plants from their abundant runners

Monty Don demonstrates how to plant tomatoes in grow bags and pots in the greenhouse at Berryfields, including advice on getting the most from grow bags, and when to put tomato plants outside.springMore advice on growing tomatoesGrowing tomatoes in a grow bagGrowing tomatoes in p...