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In mid-spring, 2mm-long, greenish-brown, adult bay suckers emerge from overwintering. They feed on young bay leaves, turning them yellow and making the edges thicken and curl. The females then lay eggs under the curling edges and the new, young grey

before replacing the pots.More advice on feeding and watering plantsHow to save water in your gardenHow to "fit guttering on your greenhouseTips on watering your plantsHow to water hanging basketsFeeding your plantsMulching beds and borders, with advice

The pointed nail galls are caused by microscopic mites, which overwinter in the bark of lime trees and crawl on to the underside of the foliage in spring to feed. The mites secrete chemicals into the leaves causing them to produce the unusual

The culprit is Trionymus diminutus, a 4mm sap-feeding mealybug that breeds relentlessly when the weather is warm and isn't killed by winter frosts. It deposits a white, waxy substance at the base of the sheathed phormium leaves. A mild infestation

or trays, including basil, chives, parsley, fennel and coriander Plant up pots with the summer-flowering bulbs tiger flower (Tigridia), gloriosa and eucomisStart feeding houseplants weekly with a liquid feedPinch out shoot tips on fuchsias to encourage

Use twigs pushed into the ground to support tall-growing peas, or use short canes and stringFeed strawberries with a high potash feed, such as tomato fertiliserSow flowering companions in your veg plot, such as tagetes and poached egg plants

Tie greenhouse tomatoes to their supports as they growFeed plants with full-strength fertiliser solution once a week, or apply a more diluted feed every few daysApply shading paint or put up shade netting or blindsOpen doors and vents daily

Hang old CDs among crops and from fruit trees to scare away birdsWater beans and sweet peas as they start to flowerGive extra water to ripening soft fruits such as raspberries, gooseberries, strawberries and currantsFeed tomatoes and crops

Pick bulbils from lily stems and pot them up to raise new plantsGive shrubs and perennial plants a liquid feedCut down delphiniums once flower spikes fadeTake cuttings from non-flowering shoots on hydrangeasPick sweet peas regularly and remove any

Collect leaves as they fall and store in a wire bin or plastic bag to make leaf-mould Leave out sunflower seed heads for the birds to feed onCollect sprinklers, drip-feed systems and other watering kit to store in the shed over winterSprinkle grass