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Growing new potatoes for Christmas dinner is easier than you might think - you just need to plant them a little later. Some of the best new potatoes are grown from early and second early varieties, usually harvested in June and July. So, when planting in spring, save a few tubers...

before planting out. Long, root-training modules such as this (see picture) encourage longer root development. Water the compost well before planting out.Using a garden trowel, plant seedlings into well-prepared ground, ensuring that the top

-grown seedlings, spring and early summer is the time to plant them out. Raising them from seed is cheaper but adds a few weeks to the process - so if this is for you, it's time to get sowing!Young brassica plantsGarden line or string and canesTrowelSeed trays

with long handles. Some gardeners find giant plastic handles adequate, but grabbers are more versatile and reduce the amount of bending down involved.Choose a relatively gentle, flat-tined plastic or rubber rake for sweeping leaves off the lawn and gravel

Make a compost bin to achieve the satisfaction of turning kitchen and garden waste, into rich, crumbly compost. This will make your plants and crops thrive - so keep them, and your local landfill site, happy.Spade or rake4 strong wooden pallets6

'll have a steady supply of organic, nutrient-rich feed at little or no cost.Deep-rooted comfrey can extract large quantities of nutrients from far below the soil's surface, inaccessible to other plants. These nutrients are stored in the leaves. Gardeners

buy scaffolding planks from a builders' merchant or a timber yard.More garden DIY projectsBuild a raised bed from concreteVideo advice on making a raised bedMake a slate planterMake willow plant supportsMake a bird boxCreate a bat boxHow to fit

-rotted manure or garden compost.Using a trowel, take out a hole at the base of each cane and set plants with the top of the root ball level with the surrounding soil. Fill around the roots with soil and firm the plant in place using your fingers.Water the plants

Growing from seed is a simple and economical way of raising new plants for your garden. First master the techniques by sowing annuals in spring that will reward you with flowers in summer, then use these basic skills to grow perennials, trees

The warmth of spring and summer allows you to sow vegetable seeds outdoors in the soil. Here they'll quickly germinate to produce crops to enjoy this season. Try easy-to-grow salads such as radish, spring onion and salad bowl lettuce. You can also use this technique to grow flowe...