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the woody, flowered stems. Prune back to just above vigorous green stems growing from low down on the plant.For the thickest woody stems, or where shrubs have become very overgrown, use long-handled loppers or a garden saw to cut through the tough stems

A viral infection, for which, sadly, there is no cure. Some cannas seem able to shrug it off, but it has the potential to spread quickly from plant to plant, so it's best to remove and dispose of affected individuals at the first sign of trouble. It

, the productivity of the tree isn't usually affected.Miniscule gall mites live in the foliage of pear trees. In spring, they secrete chemicals that cause blotches to appear on new foliage. These eventually turn black and the leaf dies, usually in late summer. Remove

, pyracantha, sorbus all year roundMore common garden pestsAphidsWhiteflyLeaf miner flyEuonymus scale

climber, which invades your garden, smothering any plants in its path.Dig, dig and dig some more! Every piece of root left in the soil will grow into a new plant, and the roots can venture down as far as 5m. So you need to be really thorough as you dig

surrounding gardens, fields and waste-ground.Clump of leaves growing from a single or multiple point. Leaves and flower stalks ooze a milky substance when snapped. Bright yellow-orange flowers are followed by a fluffy seedhead or dandelion 'clock'.Remove

plant can produce 20,000 seeds in its short lifetime. Fat hen is a weed that will quickly spread and colonise any open ground, competing with your other plants for nutrients.Hand weed or hoe out seedlings as they appear, or smother them with a good layer

lawn weedkiller or a lawn feed and weed product.established flowerbeds, cracks in paving, garden walls, lawnsspring, summer, autumnMore advice on removing weedsGroundselMeadowgrassCloverDandelion

Left unchecked, hairy bitter cress can quickly spread to infest the whole garden. This weed can complete its lifecycle in three to four weeks to disperse thousands of seeds, all of which can germinate to release their own seeds in quick succession

Field horsetail is also known as marestail. Once established, it has roots that extend to 2m deep, and spreads by means of creeping rhizomes. The plant produces light-brown stems in late spring, topped with cone-like structures