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can encourage the problem. Compost sold specifically for tomatoes, such as grow bags, contains sufficient calcium for a good crop of fruits. Never apply fertiliser to dry soil, always give plants plenty of water first. tomatoes, peppers

and air from reaching the leaves.Black or greyish-green mould spreads across sticky honeydew deposited on pepper plants by aphidsThere's no control for sooty mould, but you can control the aphids. Outside, natural predators such as birds and ladybirds

Spores carried by water and wind spread this fungus, which leaves primula foliage peppered with holes. The initial signs are spots in a yellow-orange area, or in grey, papery tissue. When the centre falls out, holes appear. Look beneath the leaves

Sow sweet peas and pinch out the growing tips of seedlings for bushier plants Continue harvesting chillies, peppers and other cropsReduce watering potted tuberous begonias to allow the top growth to die downBring pots of tender bulbs like agapanthus

Rust fungus is the curse of hollyhocks. The undersides of the leaves are often peppered with bright yellow or orange-red rust spots with corresponding beige-yellow splodges on the upper surface. Eventually, it affects the whole plant, with leaves

evening to trap in the warmthWater crops in pots and growing bags more sparingly, but continue feeding weeklyStop watering gloxinias, begonias and achimenes to let their leaves die down completely before storing tubers in dry compost for winterPot up

to their baseFlowersGrow early-maturing potatoes in a bag of compostFork compost into beds to prepare soil for plantingChit potatoes Fruit & vegSow cucumbers, tomatoes, aubergines and peppersWater compost with a suitable pesticideSow summer bedding plants

. The skin's surface is also peppered with greyish pustules.Immediately destroy all contaminated fruit, as well as any damaged ones liable to infection. Cut away and destroy dead shoots or spurs (pruning in the summer for plums, winter for apples and pears

compost and keep them in a bright place to ensure they germinate.Chilli seeds e.g. 'Cayenne'Good quality seed compostSmall pots x2ClingfilmJanuary - May10 minutes to sow the seedsJuly - AugustFill two small pots with seed compost. Water the compost

, the best results come from growing plants on a windowsill indoors or in a greenhouse. Large fruited varieties such as 'Black Beauty' should yield three to six aubergines per plant. Smaller fruited varieties like 'Fairy Tale' will produce at least 10