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Both the 1cm-long black adults and 1cm-long plump, white, legless, brown-headed larvae are a problem. The latter hide in the soil, and feed on roots (severing them) and bore into tubers from autumn to spring. Container plants are most at risk

Airborne fungal spores land on buds to infest newly-emerging leaves in spring. The fungus feeds on the young leaves and affects their development so that they become distorted. The smaller leaf size makes them less efficient at making food

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

with lots of room around them so the air can circulate, and prune out any congested growth..Use a preventative copper fungicide in spring before the overwintering spores strike. Make sure you cover all the leaf surfaces.rosesearly- to late-summerMore advice

already started to grow around other plants, untwine it, lay it on bare ground and then spray it. Avoid using the weedkiller on a windy day and near desirable plants. all over the gardenearly spring to autumnMore advice on removing weedsGround elder

as an excellent green manure when dug back into the soil. In lawns, use a weedkiller such as a 2, 4-D-based herbicide in spring or early summer, when growth is at its most vigorous. Repeat throughout summer where necessary. Apply in cool, moist, calm conditions

, removing every piece of ground elder root that's found.Apply systemic weedkiller to the foliage as soon as it appears in spring. Re-apply throughout the growing season at four- to six-week intervals, or as soon as any re-growth appears

. Plants are also able to overwinter.Small short-lived annual plants which spread rapidly by means of small seeds dispersed from spring-like seedpods. Remove young plants before they get a chance to flower and set seed. Pull them out individually by hand

Field horsetail is also known as marestail. Once established, it has roots that extend to 2m deep, and spreads by means of creeping rhizomes. The plant produces light-brown stems in late spring, topped with cone-like structures

it out effectively, but you can hold it at bay by keeping the lawn healthy and thereby making conditions less favourable for the yarrow. Top-dress the lawn in spring and in September, mow it regularly and lightly rake when in growth to weaken the weed