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John Innes No.1 compost, 25 litre bagHorticultural grit, 20kg bagGood drainage is essential so all pots should have holes in the base. Cover these with broken terracotta or large stones.Half fill the large pot with an equal parts mixture of John Innes

an outbreak of spots on the leaves. The dark marks are often surrounded by a pinkish-purple ring.Promptly remove and destroy all infected leaves, both on the plant and on the ground. Don't put them on the compost heap. Also improve the growing conditions - add

and on clothing. Remove cleavers regularly by hand, or hoe off young seedlings before they set seed. Avoid getting seeds on clothing, as this can inadvertently spread it around the garden. Mulch borders with a 5cm layer of garden compost or composted bark

to remove the grass, digging it out from the root. This is best done before the plant flowers and sets seed. Do not compost flowering plants, or it will spread seeds through the compost. Annual meadowgrass is quite resistant to weedkillers, but if it

Layer long sideshoots of border carnations into soil prepared with potting compost. Make a slit in each stem, peg down to hold firm, and wait to rootWater plants, such as roses, climbers and shrubs growing against dry sunny wallsPlant bulbs of the Madonna

Plant daffodil bulbs in pots and borders Check roses for suckers and cut off any you find, just below groundTrim conifer hedges to neaten their appearance and control heightEmpty pots of faded early summer bedding, adding old plants to the compost

Buy tulips now while they're fresh in garden centres, but hold off planting till next month Plant daffodils, hyacinths and crocus in potsLift and pot up tender perennials to protect over winterClear away faded summer bedding and annuals, composting

them neat, then shred and compost the clippingsTop up compost or bark mulches around heathersHoe and hand weed bordersAround the gardenSummer prune wisteriaWater hydrangea bushes Take clematis cuttings or layer new shootsFlowersShorten sideshoots

aconitesFeed the soil by spreading compost over bedsMove plants growing in the wrong placeFlowersPrune out the oldest stems from blackcurrantsCheck for signs of rot on any stored cropsFork compost into the soil and clear away old cropsFruit & veg Wash

Take root cuttingsWinter is the ideal time to propagate perennials from root cuttings. Follow our step-by-step guide and you'll have plenty of new plants to beef up your borders in spring.Move worm compost bins under cover for winterEmpty glazed