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with copper fungicide every 10 days or so. They don't provide 100 per cent protection, but an attack will be slowed down and you should get a ripe crop.potatoes, tomatoessummer, autumn, winterMore advice on growing potatoesAdvice on earthing up potatoes

the Environment Protection Act 1990. Use a total weedkiller, such as glyphosate. For best results, cut away old stems in winter and spray the plant in late summer when the weed is flowering. You will need to re-apply in midsummer, then check in September

to while away the winter months, and if you find one you can be sure there will be a lot more in that protected hiding place too. Check under loose flaps of bark, behind stacked spare paving slabs, around unused flower pots, around the back of planters

The recent stormy weather has played havoc with my crop protection - my elaborate constructions of cane, twine and netting are no match for the weather we've had!But we allotmenteers are made of stern stuff and have been out weathering the storm

, brought into the warm and protected environment of my greenhouse to ripen in time for Wimbledon. When I came to harvest them, bowl in hand, the fruits were gone.Now it's the blackberries, which are just starting to ripen and will hopefully provide rich

to improve drainage. I'll probably resort to raiding the kids' sandpit, and the sand used to fill in the drainage holes.I'll also soon be out protecting my emerging daffodils with twine and canes. They're starting to appear along the drive near the lawn

.By keeping an eye on the weather forecast, I can get outside and throw a large sheet of white fleece over my wisteria, plum and cordon apples to protect the flowers when frost is due. It's not much of an effort, but it will reward me with longer flowering

individual bulbs of garlic into pots, then transplanting them later on.Everything else is starting to move too, the tomato, pepper and aubergine seedlings are responding well to the increased light levels. I planted a few potatoes earlier but had to protect

watered erratically. This makes their plant cells more vulnerable to scorch damage.There's not a lot we can do about wind scorch or damage from heavy rain and hail, but we can change our watering technique to protect container plants and fruit and veg from

of the pot with crocks, then top up with compost. Agapanthus plants don't like being planted deeply, so bury the bulbs with their tops just below soil level. Stand the pot in full sun. Over the winter, move the pot to a sheltered spot and protect the crowns