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' x3Marguerite 'Butterfly'Plectranthus forsteri 'Marginatus' x3Verbena 'Peaches and Cream' x5Fertiliser and water-retaining gel30cm rattan basketCompostSnip a few holes in the basket's plastic liner for drainage, then support the basket in a bucket

early autumn. March - AprilJune - July30 minutes Strawberry plants x435cm lined hanging basketMulti-purpose and loam-based compostMake a hole in the polythene lining of your basket to allow for drainage.Fill the basket with compost to just below the rim

minutes1 ruby red begonia, we used B. 'Midnight Magic'1 orange pelargonium, we used P. 'Meadowside Midnight'Wooden barrel or similar rustic containerCrocksMulti-purpose compostThe key to this container is its simplicity. Just add crocks to the bottom

, or similarMulti-purpose, peat-free compostHorticultural gritOld plastic plant potsPlace upturned pots in the base of the pot to aid drainage and minimise the amount of compost used in the pot.Pour the compost into the container until it's about two

Growing tomatoes with ring-culture pots involves surrounding the crop with a bottomless ring and adding layers of compost at 10-14 day intervals. This encourages the tomato to root from the stem so it can take up more water and nutrients than

conditions, house plant orchids should be potted in a mix of moss, bark chips and perlite.Orchids living on branches get soaked regularly by tropical storms, but the water quickly drains away, and orchid compost is similarly free-draining. Over the years

bulbsLarge potsCompostMarch - April20 minutesJuly - AugustHalf-fill a large pot with compost, add five or six lily bulbs, then cover them with more compost. Keep in a greenhouse or sheltered spot while developing, tying tall varieties to canes

.ShrubForkSpadeCompostautumn and winter45 minutesChoose an open site and fork over the soil, mixing in lots of compost. Dig a deep planting hole and place the shrub's rootball in the centre.Spread the roots around the hole then backfill with soil enriched with compost to cover them

Cut late-summer-flowering clematis right down to soil levelDivide congested clumps of perennials such as asters, campanulas, rudbeckias and chrysanthemums after floweringPlant bare-rooted rosesDig up and compost exhausted summer beddingPlant out

February - April20 minutes3 drumstick primulas, Primula denticulata3 hybrid primrosesA wide, shallow bowlMulti-purpose compostCrocksPut a layer of crocks in the bottom of the bowl, then half-fill it with compost.Knock the plants out of their pots and arrange them