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Cover soil with cloches to warm it for early sowingsFinish winter pruning fruit trees and soft fruitsCut stems of autumn-fruiting raspberries to soil levelChit seed potatoes, standing them in trays in a light but frost-free positionPlant Jerusalem

Plant shallots outside into well-prepared soilSow mustard and cress in a pot on the kitchen windowsill for a quick cropUse netting and bird scarers to protect fruit bushes from hungry birds, which can strip off swelling budsPrune side shoots

Sow sweet peas in deep pots and pinch out shoot tips once two pairs of leaves have developedCut back old stems of mallow (Lavatera) to ground level, taking care not to harm new shootsPlant hedging plantsPrune down stems of dogwoods, willows, cotinus

Cover rhubarb with an old bucket to exclude light and encourage early pickings of long tender stalksPrune gooseberry bushes to open up the centre of the bush to improve air circulationChit seed potatoes in trays in a bright, frost-free position

the long wispy side shoots back to about 20cm during summer (July is perfect), and then cutting these stems back further to about 5cm during winter. Pruning twice a year in this way not only controls the mass of new growth that develops each year, but also

seed. Bedding plants benefit most from daily deadheading as it will extend the life of the plants and encourage them to continue producing more flowers through the summer.Scissors, floral snips or secateursMarch - late-August10 minutes a dayThe dying

fruit treesHow to summer prune apple treesMonty video demonstration on planting a fig treeHow to plant a small treePreventing apple and pear scabChoose fruit varieties to grow in your gardenBrowse deciduous trees

on growing fruit treesHow to summer prune apple trees.Monty video demonstration on planting a fig treeHow to plant a small tree Choose fruit varieties to grow in your gardenBrowse our collection of deciduous trees

tree video projectGrowing a fig treeSummer pruning plum treesBrowse a selection of fruit plantsView plants by suitability to sun exposure

Sarah Raven demonstrates the best method for planting a rose to avoid root rock and sucker growth.spring or autumnMore advice on caring for rosesPlanting a rambling rose against a tree video projectHow to plant a rose, with Monty DonPruning shrub