Search - Articles

Watch Monty Don's video demonstration of how to sow spinach seeds, with advice on the ideal location, soil preparation and spacing.springMore advice on growing vegVideo advice on sowing salad leavesSow lettuce seeds in gutteringHow to sow seeds outdoors

Bare patches can appear in your lawn after a thorough raking, where the grass is undernourished or where it's been worn out. These gaps should be reseeded or returfed to prevent moss and weeds colonising the soil and to allow your lawn to look its

Yellow sorrel, Oxalis corniculata, is a low, creeping weed that will happily grow anywhere - it's as happy in the bone-dry cracks in paving as it is in the damp garden and around the tops of containers. Although small, it's tricky to pull out

of lawn with no weeds or moss to spoil the effect. The best time to do this is during a warm spring or autumn when plenty of rain will help the new grass establish roots in time for summer sun or winter frosts.TurfWheelbarrowSpadeTopsoilRakeSharp knife

of fleece handy to protect plants if frost is forecastBuild log piles at the back of borders for wildlife to shelter inRake out dead grass from lawns

and paulowniaFork and rake over the soil in border areas where you want to sow hardy annual flowers

with long handles. Some gardeners find giant plastic handles adequate, but grabbers are more versatile and reduce the amount of bending down involved.Choose a relatively gentle, flat-tined plastic or rubber rake for sweeping leaves off the lawn and gravel

Discover how to renovate a lawn with Monty Don's video project on preparing soil by digging, forking and raking before laying the turf.spring or autumnMore lawn care adviceHow to maintain a healthy lawnHow to repair a lawn patchHow to mow a lawn

Squash mistletoe berries into apple tree branches to encourage plants to develop Cut down old stems of sedums, taking care not to damage new shoots Clear borders and rake up leaves before bulbs start poking throughDig over gaps in the borders

Plant bare-root roses in well-prepared groundTrim away unwanted suckers growing around the base of treesClear borders and rake up leaves before bulbs start poking through the groundDig over gaps in borders, taking time to pick out roots of perennial