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Learn how to hoe your vegetable patch effectively with advice and a practical demonstration from Monty Don. Find out about tool sharpening and how frequently to hoe your plot. all year roundMore advice on common garden tasksWeeding by hand

Overgrown lawn edges can look unsightly and make an otherwise healthy, well-cared for garden look untidy. For a professional finish, re-cut the edges of your lawn each spring and trim overhanging grass after mowing.Half-moon edging toolPlank of wood

surface by walking up and down on it taking small, heavy steps. Fill any freshly-created dips with topsoil and compress again with your feet. Give the surface a final rake over.Lay the turves on the soil, staggering the joints like brickwork. If it's a big

Mow your lawn regularly from spring onwards to encourage healthy, lush-looking grass and to deter weeds. When the grass is growing strongly in summer it will need to be mown at least once a week; but during periods of drought leave it uncut as longer grass will stay greener in ho...

before you put your lawnmower into the shed for the winter, empty the petrol tank.Lawn care adviceVideo guide to choosing the best lawn mower for your gardenLaying turf, with advice from Monty Don and Chris BeardshawMonty Don gives advice on renovating a

it against birds with netting.Alternatively, cut out the bare patch of lawn, rake the soil and add topsoil if needed then patch the gap with new pieces of turf.AdamA small sheet of polythene pegged over the area will encourage the grass seed to germinate

Aside from being less expensive than laying turf, sowing a lawn allows you to choose a seed mixture most appropriate for your site and needs; whether you want a bowling green or a hard-wearing football pitch. Grass seeds sown in autumn, while the ground is warm and moist, will ge...

Lay a patio now and you'll enjoy the benefits each time you're out in the garden. It's not a difficult job, so put aside a weekend and you'll soon be entertaining friends, or enjoying a well-earned rest on your new patio surrounded by pots

The vigorous growth of many herbaceous perennials and climbers often needs a helping hand to prevent them flopping onto neighbouring plants or over the edges of lawns and paths. Putting plant supports in place early means they even the most obvious ones can be hidden by the folia...

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