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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

Growing your own cut flowers is pure luxury, but it's also a great way to save money. I love to have flowers in the house and come late-winter I feel I almost need some spring cheer to help me ward off symptoms of SAD.Cut flowers also remind me

Dry compostStorage box or containerautumn30 mins, plus drying timeUsing secateurs, cut down dahlia stems to a few centimetres from ground level and compost the leaves.Dig all around the dahlia clump and lift the tubers with a fork, taking great care

. It spreads by sprouting from thick, woody rhizomes, and can grow 1.2m in one season. Winter is the only time of year that offers a reprieve, but for the rest of the year it's a plant that needs tough handling as soon as it appears. This weed is especially

The dark-green window box and richly coloured plants make a sensational combination. The red scabious takes centre stage, rising above a platform of dark heucherella foliage. March - JulyMay - September20 minutesScabious, Scabiosa atropurpurea

for growth.AdamTie the stem to the cane in one or more places to give the plant maximum support.More advice on growing dahliasVideo guide to taking dahlia cuttings, with Sarah RavenPlanting up dahlia tubers, with instruction from Sarah Raven.Growing dahlias

Raise new mint plantsIf you're already dreaming about sipping a cool mint julep in your summer garden, now's the time to get your mint plants ready for the job. Take cuttings from established mint plants to keep the drinks tray supplied all summer

tops of main shoots on outdoor tomato plantsPrune trained forms of fruit treesFruit & vegTake cuttings from tender perennials and bedding plantsSow a few pots of hardy annualsShade delicate plants to avoid sun scorch on hot daysGreenhouse10 minutes a

Around the gardenTake cuttings from pansies and violasPot up tender perennials grown outside Prune rambling roses after floweringFlowersFinish summer pruning trained apple and pear treesHarvest apples, pears, plums and gages as they ripenSave seeds from varieties

and family.Collect leaves as they fall to make leaf-mould Leave out sunflower seed heads for the birds to feed onCollect up all watering kit to store in the shedAround the gardenTake cuttings of your favourite rosesTidy borders by cutting down perennials past