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band to trees.Grease bandScissorsStringOctober - November10 minutesUnroll the grease band and measure how much you'll need around the base of your fruit tree.Cut off the length required, ensuring the ends overlap so there aren't any gaps

Once apple trees are established it's best to summer prune the spur-fruiting varieties. This will encourage the development of short flowering shoots or 'spurs' that go on to bear clusters of fruit. Summer pruning is ideal for keeping the trees in shape and involves pruning the s...

in the year, to encourage them to put on growth before winter sets in. Space them at 10cm intervals in rows 20cm apart, and water well. If you don't have seedlings to plant out, you can usually buy plug plants from garden centres and mail order companies

You can never have enough lettuce in summer, but sowing directly into the soil takes up valuable space in the garden. Keep a regular supply growing by sowing seeds in lengths of plastic guttering: short, 1m lengths are convenient and easy to handle

Seed compostPlastic potsVermiculiteJanuary - April20 minutesFill your pot with seed compost, leaving a couple of centimetres below the rim. Scatter the seeds evenly over the compost and cover with vermiculite. Water well, then cover the pot with a plastic bag

: granular, liquid, powder, or organic manureWatering can (for liquid application)Spade or fork (for digging in manure)March - August20 minutesWell-rotted horse and cattle manure contains plenty of nutrients for plants. It can be added before planting or used

March - September10 minutes to sowharvest April - NovemberUse a line to mark out the row. Sowing in a straight line allows you to identify where your rocket seedlings are and which are the weed seedlings to pick off. You'll find a row 1m - 2m long is enough to get

Follow Monty Don's video advice for sowing sunflower seeds in a fine tilth, for a summer display.summerMore flowers to grow from seedBluebellsExoticsCyclamenDahlias

Rachel de Thame explains how to grow apple, pineapple and curly mint varieties in a pot, with advice on compost, planting and maintenance.springMore on growing herbsPractical advice on raising herbsVideo guide to How to grow peppermint and thyme in a containerGrow herbs from seed...

them (they will turn brown and papery as they mature), and store in a cool, dry place.Calendula seedEnvelopeSilica gelAirtight containerautumn or spring20 minutesWhen the seedheads have developed fully, remove them from the plant and lay them on a sheet