GARDENING: DO IT!

TOUGH TASKS

ERECT 2ft tall polythene screens around rows of carrots to protect them from carrot root fly. This barrier system works because the females cannot fly above this height so cannot reach the crop to lay their eggs.

FORK over shrub borders to help relieve compaction, improve drainage and get rid of perennial weeds. Sprinkle Growmore fertiliser around the plants and cover the soil with a generous layer of bark mulch.

COVER fruit bushes with netting to keep birds away.

BIT OF EFFORT

PLANT summer-flowering hanging baskets now to allow the plants to become established before they are put outside after the frosts. Use short, bushy plants such as pelargoniums for the top of the basket and petunias and trailers for the sides to achieve a fantastic display.

REPAIR damaged lawn edges. It is best to straighten them using a half- moon edging iron.

FILL gaps in sunny borders with some chrysanthemums to provide plenty of colour and enough flowers to cut for the house.

DEAD EASY

GET into the habit of opening greenhouse ventilators in the morning and closing them at night. Use horticultural fleece to protect tender plants from frost and rig up shading to prevent bright sunlight scorching soft new growth and seedlings.

BUY young tomato plants from the garden centre and plant three per growing bag in the greenhouse.

PUT seedlings that were pricked out into trays last month into individual pots. Keep them shaded from bright sunlight.

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