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trays, compost or propagators. Just clear the soil, forking it over to remove debris, weeds or larger stones and get sowing. I use sand from the kids' sandpit to mark out separate areas for each type of seed, and sow in rough rows to make subsequent
've not grown it before.The onions also went in, but not where I'd planned. The bed I planned to plant them in had been freshly weeded and forked over, but onions need a really firm bed. Last autumn I cleared, weeded and forked another bed, which was crying
in Hampshire. Everything was looking somewhat overgrown, after my 10 days away. It was amazing how many weeds had emerged. Three of us have just spent hours weeding, mowing and sorting, and my hands are still buzzing from the nettle stings, despite the chunky
plants for sale at garden centres or by mail order, offering everything from delicious cherry types to beefy cooking toms - the choice is yours. Plant tagetes with your tomatoesScoop out floating pond weed and algae from poolsHoe bare soil and hand weed
be shaded in summer but not too sheltered from the rain.Weed-smothering membraneChicken wireFour tree stakesHammerRubber malletWire or twineautumnan hourCut a piece of weed-smothering membrane to about 1m², allowing a little extra at the edges to tuck around
-15cm apart.Alternatively, in spring, plant heat-treated onion sets, into soil that has had large stones and weeds removed, and been enriched with organic matter. Plant each set 10-15cm apart, with tip protruding. Water newly planted sets and cover
for the best offers on peat-free compost and mulch with that.Then there's weed control. That thick mulch provides a perfect overcoat for borders to prevent annual weed seeds germinating, but it has to be a good 7cm or more deep to be effective. Too thin
Bare patches can appear in your lawn after a thorough raking, where the grass is undernourished or where it's been worn out. These gaps should be reseeded or returfed to prevent moss and weeds colonising the soil and to allow your lawn to look its
, remove the affected turf and soil, and replace. lawns, trees, just about anywhere around the gardenall year roundAdvice on dealing with common weedsBramblesFat henStinging nettlesChickweed
.Remove infected leaves from plants as soon as the fungus is seen. In winter, when the hollyhock dies down, clear away any infected leaves as they will harbour the fungal infection. Weeds such as common mallow, which are related to hollyhocks, also harbour rust so
