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Learn how to improve the condition of your soil by sowing rye seeds to create green manure, with Monty Don's video demonstration and advice.summer and autumnMore advice on improving soilHow to mulch beds and bordersFeeding plantsImproving soil

Regularly water crops in pots and growing bags, daily if needed in warm weather Plant trailing tomatoes in hanging basketsFeed young plants weekly with a solution of liquid fertiliserVentilate the greenhouse during the day, but close vents

and remove old leaves from water lilies as they pass their best Apply liquid feed to dahlias and chrysanthemums, to boost growth

Hungry, voracious caterpillars can be found in a wide variety of colours and sizes. Some feed on fruits, roots and stems, but the likes of the cabbage white butterfly, hawk moth and winter moth feed on leaves. Although they may at first seem

Soft-bodied, 4mm-long mealybugs are often found on greenhouse plants and house plants such as cacti and succulents, feeding on their sap. They are covered by a white, waxy secretion, and congregate in leaf axils and other inaccessible parts

Pea and bean weevils are a nuisance but rarely a major problem on the veg patch. The larvae live in the soil and feed on the root nodules. Then when the adults emerge in June and July, they climb up the plants and eat the edges of the leaves

Collect and sow seed from foxglovesTake cuttings from pinks (Dianthus)Prune philadelphus after flowering, removing stems carrying old flowers. Cut out very weak stems and some of the oldest woodFeed dahlias with a liquid fertiliser and ensure plants

- and nothing could be fresher.Cut out any plain green shoots on variegated shrubs and treesTreat moss and weeds in lawns with weed killerHoe bare areas of soil to prevent weedsAround the gardenPlant gladioli in groups to depth of 10-15cmComplete outside sowings

Tomatoes will thrive in a greenhouse in midsummer with the right light, warmth, water and feed. But there's no point in ruining your hard work by watching the plant collapse under its own weight, when some simple staking will save the day. Nor do

Once house bulb displays have finished flowering, plant them outside and water in well with a liquid feedMow paths through areas of long grass and meadows to avoid walking on bulbs and wildflowers