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Sow seeds of dwarf and climbing beans in deep pots or cardboard toilet roll tubes filled with compostPlant new asparagus bedsContinue planting potatoes, shallots and onion setsFeed spring cabbage with a high-nitrogen fertiliserRemove forcing jars

exclude all meat, fat and anything that has been cooked, as these will attract vermin. I also avoid citrus remains because they are slow to rot and very acidic, which reduces worm activity.Very few plants contain the right balance of nitrogen and carbon

Nettles have a bad reputation among gardeners. Although they sting and are invasive if left unchecked, there are numerous ways they can be put to positive use in both your garden and kitchen. Learn more, below.Nettles are a magnet for beneficial

. In severe cases, growth becomes distorted, leaves curl up, the plant weakens and can die.Natural predators, such as birds, earwigs, ladybirds, lacewings, hoverflies, ground beetles, spiders and parasitic wasps are a gardener's best allies. Some

, such as 'Invicta' and 'Greenfinch'.Use an all-purpose feed, rather than one high in nitrogen, as this will only generate soft new growth that's prone to infection. Spray infected plants with myclobutanil.gooseberries, blackcurrantsspring, early summer More common

kill a plant. Since there are separate fungal species that affect different plants, an attack on your curcubits won't lead to a garden epidemic. Powdery mildew and powdery mildew on roses are similar problems, with similar solutions.The first sign

the base of trees with garden compost to maintain general health, and water well in dry summer weather. Avoid over-feeding with nitrogen fertiliser.Spray the whole tree or bush with Bordeaux mixture during late January and repeat two weeks later to kill

congested growth to improve the airflow. Also minimise the use of high-nitrogen fertilisers, as these lead to lots of soft, leafy growth, which is vulnerable to an attack. Get rid of weeds as they can spread the fungus.Spray ornamental plants

.In the lawn, your best bet is to dig out affected areas and replace patches of lawn with weed-free turf. In other parts of the garden, just dig it out. Mind you, it's worth bearing in mind clover has nitrogen-fixing nodules on its roots, so it acts

's important to provide them with supplementary fertiliser. The basic nutrients required by plants are nitrogen (N) for leaf and stem growth, phosphorus (P) for root growth and potassium (K) for flowers, fruit and to maintain healthy growth. Fertiliser