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Line greenhouses with bubble polythene for insulation against falling night temperatures Clean staging and capillary matting to use next yearBring pots of tender agapanthus and eucomis under coverCheck all plants for signs of pests and treat

Prune wisteria sideshoots to 10-15cm from their base, and tie in leading shoots to create a frameworkRake up fallen leaves that could be sheltering slugsCut down dead perennialsPlant bareroot trees and deciduous hedges such as beech and privet

in Britain. Although there are about 250 species of hoverfly in the UK, and roughly 100 of them are black and yellow wasp mimics, this one is immediately recognizable by its narrow parallel-sided body shape and the fact that some abdominal segments have two

the cowslips, Primula vulgaris, have gone into full flower in early April. There are a few buds left, but they won't hold for a further five weeks, so these herbs will definitely miss the show. Luckily, they're not required for any of the show gardens we

this year.Although pollen beetles are no great pest, they can nibble the edges of unopened flowers. I've seen a few of them about, but for the first time, I've not had to shake the bunches of sweet peas to remove whole families of pollen beetles, or shine a

-autumn.Treat the lawn with an insecticide containing imidacloprid from May to October.lawns, strawberries, brassicas, some ornamental plantsspring to autumnMore common garden pestsPea and bean weevilsCaterpillarsFlea beetleEarwigs

.undisturbed ground, under stones, logs and pots. Prefers cool, damp habitats.all year roundMore common garden pestsWaspsMolesSnailsAnts

in the moist soil is a wireworm. I know these are supposed to be notorious garden and agricultural pests, but like so many insects, I can't really treat them as pests unless they reach pest proportions. A few of last year's potatoes had small holes in them

.Stick the overlapping end firmly in place. If it's not secure, tie it in position with two lengths of string above and below the band of glue.Peel off the paper covering the glue.AdamDealing with other garden pests CaterpillarsElephant hawk mothMullein mothAphids

Jekka McVicar's 10 companion plantsJekka McVicar's organic herb garden achieved a gold medal at the Chelsea Flower Show 2009. We caught up with her at the show to discover her top 10 herbs for growing as companion plants.Companion planting