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Left unchecked, canker can gradually spread to affect whole branches and sections of trees. Severely-infected old trees may be beyond rescue, while young trees are vulnerable to infection, particularly where other susceptible trees are growing

What a tremendous pleasure it is to grow sunflowers from seed. Thousands of children up and down the country sow sunflowers in spring, no doubt hoping to grow the tallest and enter the Guinness Book of Records.My sunflowers will never do

will quickly grow to hide the sides of the basket.Fill the spaces between the plants with compost, ensuring a gap of 2cm is left at the top of the basket. Firm down to get rid of air pockets, and water well.AdamUse a soil-based compost with water-retaining gel

problems affecting fruit bushes and treesGrey mould on soft fruitsApple sooty blotchPeach leaf curlBrown rot on apples, pears and plums

. Apricot trees (Prunus ameniaca) grow particularly well there because of the south-western aspect and because, before the invention of the gutter, they got lots of rain - apricots need lots of water to prevent the fruit from splitting.I mention this because

and cooking crops. Do let us know in the comments section of this blog if there are any harvesting tips you'd like us to cover.Finally, do join me and a host of other experts on the ‘Grow Your Own’ Garden at BBC Gardeners' World Live (15-19 June 2011) for more

've listed some of my favourite fruits below.Plants grow up to 1.8m and bear sweet berries from July. Best suited to large, sheltered plots.Good soft fruit varietiesBlackcurrant 'Boskoop Giant'Grows well in shade and on heavy soil. It forms red berries