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Plant bare-root roses in well-prepared groundTrim away unwanted suckers growing around the base of treesClear borders and rake up leaves before bulbs start poking through the groundDig over gaps in borders, taking time to pick out roots of perennial

cataloguesMow lawns during dry weather with blades set highBring garden hoses and sprinklers under cover for winter to avoid damage in freezing weatherCollect canes and plant supports, and store them in the shedSow a green manure crop over bare areas

Plant new fruit trees and bushesTidy strawberry beds, cutting back old foliage and congested runners and removing weedsPot up a few roots of mint and bring under cover for winter pickingsImprove soil, digging over bare ground and forking in bulky, well

in mucus, and is about 1cm wide by 6cm long, although when extended it can be up to 30cm long. It lives on earthworms, covering them in digestive juices to dissolve them before sucking them up. The larvae of ground beetles prey on flatworms. Researchers

Plant tulip bulbs in groups to make drifts of spring colourAfter first frosts, lift and store dahlia tubers or leave in the ground but mulch heavilyPlant evergreen shrubs and conifers, including new hedgesLift tender cannas to avoid frost damage

-like covering, but in the case of mature apples the split can lead to rotting.Shallow splits start to appear on apples, which are then covered by a corky scab. This can result in further problems, as infection gets into the splits and leads to rotting.After a

. Infected foliage must be disposed of immediately, as the fungus can survive on the plant if left lying on the ground. The early, large-flowering varieties are most prone to attack, with smaller-flowering species (eg, C. montana) being the most resistant

. Winter is the only time of year that offers a reprieve, but for the rest of the year the best way to tackle it among other plants is to dig it out as soon as it appears. The ground and walls are covered in a rapidly growing, white-flowering, twining

Tomatoes are easy to grow from seed and should germinate within two weeks. Compact cherry varieties can be grown in pots and hanging baskets, while larger, cordon types are more suited to being raised in the ground or in growing bags. Tomato seeds

insects - which have a fluffy white covering - carry on feeding on the sap, prolonging the problem. Prolific breeding in summer means the symptoms don't disappear. Young, winged, sap-feeding insects attack young bay foliage, discolouring and distorting it