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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

Seed compostPlastic potsVermiculiteJanuary - April20 minutesFill your pot with seed compost, leaving a couple of centimetres below the rim. Scatter the seeds evenly over the compost and cover with vermiculite. Water well, then cover the pot with a plastic bag

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