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staging or a dry shed.AdamIf your dahlias are in a warm, sheltered spot in the border and you don't want to lift them, add a thick layer of mulch for extra insulation in winter.Caring for your dahliasVideo guide to taking dahlia cuttings, with Sarah Raven

in layers with the heel of your foot.When the hole is full, add a mulch of well-rotted compost to the surface of the soil to help conserve moisture. Water the rose well.AdamDon't plant during frosty weather as intense cold can kill the roots of the rose

, sandwiching the mesh in-between.AdamYour sieve can also double as a drying tray in autumn and winter for onions, garlic, root crops and beans before you store them.More ways to improve soilCarol Klein's video guide to mulchingImproving your soil with green

conditions - is to lay a thick mulch around the plant. This helps lock moisture in the ground, and stops rain splashing the spores from the soil on to new growth. Spray with a fungicide containing myclobutanil. Begin spraying each fortnight from early spring

by yellowing between the leaf veins and around the leaf margins. Other colours might break through as the green fades.For a long-term solution, apply a yearly mulch of home-made compost. This will conserve moisture, prevent the leaching of nutrients during

of mildew is a white powdery coating on the leaves that, if left, leads to a distorted, stunted plant, an inedible crop and even dieback.Healthy plants are less susceptible, so make sure they are well spaced and have good air circulation around them. Mulch

and fruit. Clear up infected, fallen leaves around trees. Cover fence or wall-trained trees with polythene sheet in January and February to prevent development of fungus. Alternatively, erect an open-sided 'tent' over bushes in the open garden. Mulch around

and even dieback. Prune out affected parts of the plant and destroy. Healthy plants are less prone to attack, so make sure you water regularly and mulch around them to conserve moisture in the soil. Space out your plants to avoid over-crowding and thin out

fallen leaves. When pruning, cut out any stems with blackspot on. In late-winter, spread a thick layer of mulch around the base of the affected plant to prevent rain splashing soil-borne spores on to new spring growth. Grow rose varieties

into the planting hole. For established roses, a thick layer of mulch around the base of the plant will help. Before symptoms appear, apply a fungicide containing flutriafol or myclobutanil at the recommended intervals from early spring.roses - other powdery mildews