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Plant out leeks and brassicas raised in a seed bedSpread mulch around beans and other crops to help conserve soil moistureNet developing soft fruits to protect them from birdsSpray apple trees showing signs of powdery mildew or scabWater onions

Plant herbs in decorative pots, and keep close to the house so you can reach them easilyPull up soil around the developing shoots of early potatoesStart sowing salad crops at regular 3-4 week intervals to ensure a regular supply for pickingTrim leggy rosemary bushes to promote bu...

or disease attackKeep fruit bushes covered with netting, then weave a cane through the bottom edge and peg it down to stop birds crawling underneathMake the final pickings of rhubarb and cut any flower spikes that form right down to their baseLift early

into pots of soil to root new plants. Only ever propagate from healthy, disease-free stock. After fruiting, trim off all strawberry foliage with shearsSow seeds of vegetables now, including beetroot, cabbages, endive, kohl rabi, lettuce, radish, rocket

the crawling female winter mothCut off whole trusses of unripe fruits from outdoor tomatoes before they're hit by frost and ripen in a sheltered spotPlant out spring cabbagesDig up onions and lay them out in an airy space to dry before storing

Grow early-maturing potatoes in a bag of compostFork compost into beds to prepare soil for plantingChit potatoes by standing them in trays in a warm bright position until they develop small shootsDig out problem weeds and emerging annual weedsPlant Jerusalem artichokesCover rhuba...

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, to attract beneficial insectsThin out...

Sow seeds of dwarf and climbing beans in deep pots or cardboard toilet roll tubes filled with compostPlant new asparagus bedsContinue planting potatoes, shallots and onion setsFeed spring cabbage with a high-nitrogen fertiliserRemove forcing jars from rhubarb plants and let them ...

Pick gooseberries when ripe. If they're still very green, small and hard, leave them a bit longer. Some varieties turn red or white as they ripenPrune bay trees to keep them in shapeSpray apples and gooseberries with a fungicide to protect against mildewLift early potatoesPick ma...

The cause of the splits is invariably irregular watering. When the tree suddenly gets a hefty drink following a period of drought, the apples quickly expand, which often leads to the skin cracking. The fruit usually produces a corky, scab