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Spring-flowering shrubs, such as physocarpus, philadelphus, forsythia and weigela produce their blooms on the woody stems made in the previous year. Cut out these stems as soon as the flowers have faded (or by July at the latest) and leave the current season's new shoots to grow ...

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

White, waxy, sap-feeding aphids colonise cracks, crevices and pruning cuts on the bark of apple trees in the second half of spring. They then spread to new growth and create soft swellings. If the bulges split open in frosty weather, infections, such as canker, can set in.Congreg...

it out, and remove every last bit wherever possible. Use a fork to avoid breaking up the root. Use a total weedkiller, such as glyphosate. This is most effective when the weed is flowering, although it'll still work on good leaf coverage. If the weed has

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

root using a knife or spike-like daisy grubber. Also, make sure you remove the flower spikes before they get a chance to produce seed.In paving or flowerbeds, apply a systemic weedkiller to the foliage of greater plantains. In lawns, use a selective

. Plants are also able to overwinter.Small short-lived annual plants which spread rapidly by means of small seeds dispersed from spring-like seedpods. Remove young plants before they get a chance to flower and set seed. Pull them out individually by hand

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