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Give wooden furniture a facelift, sanding smooth then applying teak wood oilCut back climbing plants that are hanging down from arches and pergolas Empty, mix and refill compost bins to improve the composting processWater hydrangeas with a colourant

Pruning and cutting back is important if your plants are to give their best display or crop, and to prevent them outgrowing their space. Most woody ornamental plants are best pruned in the dormant season or, if they are spring flowering, as soon

and thrift.Creating a summer cutting patch.Growing summer-flowering plants to attract bees.Planting ideas for late-summer colour.Learn how to plant up a summer hanging basket.

will set seed rather than make more flowers. Healthy stems only need the flower head removing, but weak spindly ones need cutting back hard, to encourage new growth. Prune to where stems are at least pencil thick, even if it means removing almost the entire

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

single variety, planted in large drifts.In damp areas, try planting snake's head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris), an early flowering bulb that looks stunning when naturalised in grass.Bulbs or corms, such as daffodils or crocusLawn-edging tool

The practice of taking stem-section cuttings is useful for rejuvenating overgrown house plants such as dracaena.Dracaenas are striking architectural plants, native to western and tropical Africa. Plants produce bold rosettes of strap-like leaves

from shrubs bending under the weightPick faded flowers off pansies to prevent them setting seedCollect and sow seed from garden shrubs and trees with berries

lots of organic matterPrune lavender to maintain its shape, and take lavender cuttings by pulling off sideshoots and inserting them in trays of gritty compostCollect seed from border perennials and store in a sealed container in a cool place

, and overwinter tubers in cool dark conditionsPlant out spring beddingSow hardy annuals in cleared areas for early flowers next summerSow sweet peas in pots, and overwinter under coverPrune back standard roses to help prevent wind rock damaging the plants