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and moisture, and you'll soon enjoy statuesque plants heavy with cobs.Give wooden furniture a faceliftCut back climbing plants that are hanging down Empty, mix and refill compost bins Around the gardenPlant out tender summer-bedding plantsLook out for aphids

Prune spring-flowering shrubs Don't let your physocarpus or other spring-flowering shrubs become overgrown, woody and thin on flowers. Pruning out the stems that have bloomed this spring will keep your plants at a manageable size and will guarantee

Remove blanket weed from pondsAround the gardenLift, divide and replant congested flag irises after floweringDeadhead border perennialsPick dead flowers off rhododendronsFlowersSow cabbages to pick as spring greensThin heavy crops of apples, pears

Growing from seed is a simple and economical way of raising new plants for your garden. First master the techniques by sowing annuals in spring that will reward you with flowers in summer, then use these basic skills to grow perennials, trees

of clean straw. In cold areas, add a layer of soil for extra frost protection. Cover with plastic sheeting.More on growing and harvesting carrotsHarvesting carrots video project.Growing carrots in a container.Thinning carrots.Browse a variety of vegetable

Watering canClocheSeptember an hourSow salads such as winter purslane, lamb's lettuce, land cress and salad burnet direct in shallow rows 20cm apart. Cover with a thin layer of soil or compost and water well.Plant out established seedlings of crops sown earlier

and store the whole seedhead in a paper bag, but it's preferable to let the seed ripen on the plant.Agapanthus seed is thin, laid flat in overlapping layers in a papery capsule that bursts into three separate sections. The seed is black with a papery tail

damping-off disease.Place the seeds on the surface of the damp compost, spacing them evenly. Take your time, as this can be a fiddly job. Then sprinkle a thin, even layer of fine compost over the seeds, ensuring they're not disturbed.Cover each pot

of vermiculite, which is easier to spread thinly, alternatively you could use seed compost if you prefer.Water the pot thoroughly, cover with cling film, and stand it in a warm, bright position. When seedlings emerge, remove the cling film.Pot seedlings

Sharp knife10cm potMulti-purpose compostRooting hormone (liquid or powder)Clear polythene bagsJune - September45 minutesChoose sideshoots as cuttings, pulling these away from the main stem with a thin strip of bark, or heel, still attached.This heel