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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

A greenhouse or polytunnel allows you to grow a wider range of plants, and extends the growing season. Once the structure is in place you'll need to kit it out with a few essential items, listed below.You’ll have more success raising your own seeds

. The baby Gaura lindheimeri 'The Bride' are now pretty sturdy, and I've got a nice full tray of Verbena rigida 'Intensity' (from the High Value Perennials seed pack). Both now have 'true' leaves – the ones that look like those on the adult plant

arrangements.I acquired the seed of my white honesty about five years ago, from a man who had cut down his spent plants and left them in a pile in his front garden. He was happy for me to help myself so I filled my pockets with seed and took them home.I sowed

. Follow our guide to deterring carrot root fly, below.Choose varieties that have been bred for their resistance to carrot root fly, such as 'Flyaway', 'Ibiza', 'Maestro', 'Parano', 'Resistafly' and 'Sytan'.Choose resistant varietiesSow seed thinly to avoid

, and the whole lot keels over in a miserable heap, we use the less helpful name of ‘damping off disease’.Damping off disease is a nightmare during spring. As the exciting cycle of seed sowing continues apace, this insidious disease is very much waiting

outside later. Verbena enjoys full sun, but tolerates dappled shade, and it's worth incorporating some organic matter into the soil before planting. Verbena also benefits from a light feed in spring with a seaweed fertiliser or chicken manure.Sowing seeds

Small lawns needn't be plain and uninspiring. An emerald green, healthy lawn will give any garden a lift, big or small, and there's a lot you can do to keep it looking good - from choosing the right grass seed, to aerating. You can even make a

or modular trays. Once the risk of frost has passed (usually around the end of May) they will be ready to plant out. Use them to fill gaps in summer borders or grow larger quantities in rows on the allotment or veg plot. And don't forget to stagger sowings