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Knowing exactly how to care for plants is a matter of judgement and experience. Many plants need treating with tender loving care, but others can benefit from 'mean' treatment.Take my agapanthus. In their 'youth' agapanthus produce leaves and shoots

unstaked. All it takes is one downpour and strong wind when plants are coming into flower and the whole lot can be flattened.But this May has caught me out. Some of my plant supports are in place, but not all of them. In the past two-three weeks my

, gritty compost. They take up to three months to germinate at about 15°C and should be left for a few years before transplanting and growing on.PropagationMore plants to grow for late-summer colourChoose flowers for late-summer colourCombine asters, sedums

There are so few plants that do well in my small, shady garden, but those that do thrive deserve a medal. This week, honesty is taking centre stage, with its tall spires of brilliant white flowers, towering above more subtle spring blooms.I love

Plants for small gardensSmall gardens can accommodate a wide range of plants, from spring bulbs to small trees. We spoke to Monty Don and James Alexander-Sinclair at Gardeners' World Live to discover their top 10 plants for small gardens.A small

as the season progresses. They also provide great cut flowers, or just simply take a single flower and float it in a glass bowl of water as a simple table decoration.Another favourite is Tulbaghia, and in particular a variety called ‘Silver Lace’ with silvery

matting sheet, or use old carpet or old cotton sheets to prevent weeds – cut holes to plant through. This is useful for crops of sweetcorn, outdoor tomatoes, courgettes, pumpkins and squashes.Tips on saving effortUse mulchesSow rows of seeds straight

each of the baby plants in house plant compost then water both the compost and the rosette. Rooting takes around a month. Alternatively, you can wait until the main plant begins to die off, then cut it out and leave the babies to grow where they are

turn black (as in peace lilies) or plants may turn soft and rot (cacti, succulents, orchids). If you suspect you’ve been too generous, stop watering completely until the compost dries out. Badly affected plants may not survive so take cuttings from any

.Runner beansVarieties such as ‘lollo rossa’ and ‘Salad Bowl’ can be picked a few leaves at a time as they are needed, leaving the rest of the plant to keep growing. This lettuce is good for tubs or a small salad patch, also as edible edging for a potager.Cut