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the ground level.Dig a trench, 30cm wide by 20cm deep, and part fill with soil down its length to make a mound 10cm high. Take the asparagus crowns and sit them 30cm apart on top of the mound, spreading the roots on either side. Cover the crowns with 5cm

early in the season, they looked natural, and were soon covered by growth. However, by the end of the season their bottoms had rotted away. So what now?Should I choose man-made materials or use natural ones? Are the metal and plastic plant supports

made it impossible to sow seeds directly outside in the garden. The ground was just too wet, making it difficult to prepare the surface soil to sow into. Any small seeds I did endeavour to sow got washed away, wasting time, effort and money

may find it less successful. In mild regions, the cloves can be planted out in prepared ground and covered with cloches or fleece. Or simply plant into seed trays and set out the young plants in March.Watch Monty Don plant garlic bulbs in our practical

Dry compostStorage box or containerautumn30 mins, plus drying timeUsing secateurs, cut down dahlia stems to a few centimetres from ground level and compost the leaves.Dig all around the dahlia clump and lift the tubers with a fork, taking great care

of the stem.About 15cm from the shoot tip, make a nick using a sharp knife on the underside of the branch - aim to cut just halfway through the stem. Dust the area with hormone rooting powder.Dig a shallow hole at the point where the stem touches the ground

. Garden fork Sharp knifeLarge potsGritty compost mix made from equal parts grit or perlite and potting compostLabel and pencilDecember - January30 minutesUse a garden fork to lift the whole plant out of the ground gently, taking care not to damage its

If you think topiary is pricey, then make your own with one of these metal spiral plant supports. Given time, ivy will cover the frame, to give you a stylish evergreen display at a fraction of the cost of clipped topiary. If you shop carefully, you

and dying grass can be easily pulled up to reveal little or no root growth. After heavy rain or having thoroughly watered any yellow patches in the lawn, cover them with black plastic sacks and leave overnight. The leatherjackets will come to the surface

-glory style (yes they are related!) flowers makes them a great ground cover crop, but early this morning I stuck a fork in under one for the first time. Simply couldn't wait any longer. They're not huge (they do need more sun and warmth than they got