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too much - or at all. Otherwise you end up trying to drag collapsed plants upright, which never works. We've all seen things tied to canes, looking very uncomfortable and more like tethered voodoo effigies than plants.

attentive to plants, especially those in pots, baskets and growing bags. If compost is allowed to dry out plants soon suffer, and then the damage is done.Working gardeners away from home all day need to adopt growing plans that take the strain out

, then pack the pot with your warm fat mixture.Place in the fridge overnight to set, then cut through and peel away the pot. Tie a big knot at one end of the twine to secure the cake.Hang the cake in a tree or shrub and wait for the birds to come and feast

areas of the garden on a daily basis. A metal-tined rake is too harsh to use that often, particularly on grass.For whisking large leaves away from delicate plants, use a besom, or witch's broom, made from a bundle of twigs tied to a handle.A leaf blower

they grew in around 10-15cm (4-6in) apart, with the same distance between each row.Encourage the plants to grow up the supports by gently twining them around the sticks. You may even need to gently tie them to the supports initially so they don't flop over

, the best results come from growing plants on a windowsill indoors or in a greenhouse. Large fruited varieties such as 'Black Beauty' should yield three to six aubergines per plant. Smaller fruited varieties like 'Fairy Tale' will produce at least 10

.Growth is quite upright at first, but these are twining plants that love to scramble. The tip of every leaf has a hooked end that helps it catch hold and climb. Lend a hand by tying to canes in the pots. With this in mind, growth can get top-heavy, so plant

good had hoeing conditions this year, have we?Now it's high time for a good weed through the plot, which will also prepare the beds for my autumn plantings of garlic and onions. I usually hand weed - it's time consuming but very satisfying - alternating

.Many of these garlands were cleverly constructed from woven stems of willow or dogwood, with the same supple wands being used to tie in sprigs of evergreens, conifer and festive favourites like holly and ivy. Berries and seasonal fruits added colour. Angels were created

I have never been good with tangles. Snaggled kite strings drive me dotty. Gordian knots of fishing line result in much swearing. Bricklaying lines that, if left alone for a couple of minutes, mysteriously tie themselves into intricate clove hitches