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to smother other plants. Dig up cultivated plants in the dormant season and wash roots thoroughly to remove soil and allow the fleshy cream-white roots of the bindweed to be removed. Alternatively, cut back the stems of the bindweed as soon as they emerge

tricky weed to eliminate from the garden, as it's difficult to remove the whole plant from the ground. It's best to get rid of it when it's young, before it's had time to spread. Creeping buttercup is easily recognisable by its glossy yellow flowers

. This vigorous, spreading perennial is rampant, growing over cultivated plants and making them compete for light, water and nutrients. In existing flowerbeds, it's best tackled by digging up the cultivated plants and washing their roots to tease out the cream

needles. It dies back completely in winter.Remove rhizomes by digging as deeply as possible. The deep roots of established horsetail colonies will re-grow. Regularly removing the shoots and rhizomes as soon as they appear will weaken the plants, but total

of other plants, particularly grass in lawns. The most effective organic approach is to weaken the plant by hoeing it wherever it appears in beds or borders, or to dig it out using a fork or trowel. If it establishes itself in the lawn you will have to lift

condition - and you'll also save yourself some pennies when it comes to the annual service.Mow lawns and trim new edgesDig compost into borders to improve water retention Add copper rings to pots to protect plants from slugs and snailsAround the garden

be sheltering slugs and snailsAround the gardenCollect seed from allium and sow straight awayPlant evergreen shrubs and conifer hedgesCarefully dig up gladioli corms FlowersKeep harvesting root veg such as beetroot and carrotsOrder fruit trees and bushes

Soil typesYour soil type - sandy, loam or clay - determines which plant species you can grow. Knowing your soil type enables to you to choose the plants best suited to your garden. Soil type is identified the presence of clay, sand and silt

Bumblebee numbers have declined in recent years, due to changes in agriculture, which have led to fewer nesting opportunities and flowers for them to feed from. Making this simple nest will encourage them to nest safely your garden. Many species

compost, bagged compost or soil improverBonemealSpadeWatering can or hosepipeMarch - October 20 minutesChoose a suitable place for the plant in your garden. Using a spade, dig a hole that's slightly bigger than the size of the pot that it's growing in