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, though, without the plant ending up looking like St. Sebastian strapped awkwardly to a stake, and the string and bamboo look is not generally desirable.2. Take your courage and your secateurs and cut the thing right back to a couple of inches above ground

We've just been allocated more space on the allotment, so we now have a full sized plot. As well as planting many more spuds - which will keep the 'old man' happy - we can also plant the cutting garden my daughter always wanted. Despite

like rocket, watercress, and a range of warming mustard leaves. Baby spinach leaves provide more texture and flavour than lettuce too.Growing young salad leaves doesn't take much space and they're quick, only taking about a month from sowing to your

Sowing cyclamen from seed is surprisingly easy, but it's not a job for the impatient gardener: grown this way it can take a year or more before you are rewarded with beautiful blooms. To produce indoor plants you need to use seeds of tender large

surface by walking up and down on it taking small, heavy steps. Fill any freshly-created dips with topsoil and compress again with your feet. Give the surface a final rake over.Lay the turves on the soil, staggering the joints like brickwork. If it's a big

the weather here in London.The garden is still looking remarkably green, even after we cut down the now wilting and blackened dahlias. In fact we already have a perfect bird-feeder growing out there - the apple tree. And the bird that best takes advantage

through the roots with a knife or secateurs to promote fibrous growth.Keep newly potted plants well watered, particularly during hot weather.More plant care adviceHow to prune plantsLearn how to feed your plantsHow to take summer cuttingsAdvice on planting

cutting back this herb - it shoots off old wood, and is tolerant of hard pruning.I then moved on to the bay trees. I have two standard bay trees, both more than 20 years old. They each take a day and a half to have a full haircut. I know it removes

I'm sitting on a train as I write this, something I do more frequently than I used to, in an effort to cut back on the number of miles I drive each year. One of the best things about taking the train is being able to gaze, semi-comatose, through

was depressing to see from the window, especially remembering what a pretty garden it had once been.So, last season I decided to take a few short cuts on the allotment in order to give myself more time to change things at home. I cadged spare plants from friends