Garden know how - all you need to know to make your garden grow.

Pruning know how

Bypass (scissor action) secateurs give a clean cut and minimise stem bruising, making them ideal for precise pruning and green wood.
Anvil (knife action) secateurs minimises the effort required to cut and twist stems, making them ideal for hardy woody stems and old dead wood.

Pruning should be carried out to maintain the shape and manageability. Cuts should be made just above a bud or leaf. Depending on the width of the branch to be pruned you may use a pruning saw, bow saw or lopper. For tall trees you should use a telescopic tree pruner with cord operated jaws and a pruning saw.

Lawn know how

After mowing, all dead grass should be removed as this can strangle new grass growth beneath. This should be done with a flexible tined lawn rake. This rake has specially angled wire tines (prongs) which scratch the surface of the lawn removing debris and helps aerate the ground underneath therefore encouraging new grass growth.

After mowing the lawn any long grass around the edges can be tidied with edging shears. If you have a tree or post to trim around, lawn shears or multi-position single-handed grass shears may be useful. To create a neat edge along a flower border you should use a half moon edging knife which will cut through the turf allowing you to create curves for an interesting border.

You do not need to use chemicals, the daisy grubber will remove all trace of deep seated weeds such as dandelions, daisies and clover.

The area needs to be drained. The easiest way to do this is with a digging fork, spiking the lawn to a depth of 4 inches (10cm) to aerate the soil and then adding sand to assist the drainage.

Ground preparation know how

Start by cutting down all tall weeds, brambles and any other unwanted plants, using a grass hook or pair of hand sheers. Weeds should also be eradicated. Remove any large stones and debris, saving any materials suitable for hardcore, should you be planning a patio, raised beds or rockery.

This really depends on the type of soil you have. A garden needs to be dug over to break up any compacted areas and aerate the soil in readiness for planting. If the soil is very heavy and contains a large amount of clay a spade will probably be most useful. If your soil is less compacted and contains crumbly particles a fork can be used.

Break up any compacted areas with a pick. The ground should then be dug over with a spade or fork. If the soil is very heavy and contains a large amount of clay you should consider improving the drainage. Soil will be greatly improved by the addition of sand, grit and organic matter.

Manure, compost, leaf mould or rotted bark provide good organic matter and the essential bacteria to activate soil micro life for more nutrition and oxygen. Apply 1 bucketful per square metre, after digging in with a fork, rake the area with a soil rake to create crumbly particles. A continuous action of treading and raking gives a level surface conducive to seed germination whether you are planting a flower bed or lawn.

Garden maintenance know how

The most effective way of removing small weeds is to hoe them without either a dutch hoe or a draw hoe. Deep seated weeds can be removed more easily with a weedfork or daisy grubber, other larger established weeds are best removed with a fork.

A hedge should be cut at least once a year to keep it in shape. Regular pruning throughout the growing season will encourage dense growth and therefore a much stronger hedge. Evergreens should have the top 12" removed when they are 6" taller than the required finished height. Deciduous hedges should have the leaders cut back up to a third after planting and the sides trimmed at least once every year.

Fallen dead leaves should be removed immediately in order to prevent the grass from yellowing and prevent fungal growth. This can be achieved with a plastic leaf rake, which gathers the leaves without harming the lawn as the flexible tines will not scratch. The collected leaves can then be used to make garden compost.

When the blooms have died and no longer look attractive. The flowering period of a plant can be considerably lengthened if the dead blooms are removed. In order to do this you should use bypass action secateurs which minimise stem bruising.

Propagation know how

For large border plants and perennials use a border spade or fork to dig up the roots and then prise apart into clumps with the aid of a pair of weedforks. The plants should then be replanted at the same depth as before. This procedure is best carried out during Spring & Autumn.

A draw hoe with a traditional swan-necked head - which can be turned upside down to make a perfect seed drill. Seeds should then be planted according to the suppliers instructions.

Seedings should be thinned out to avoid overcrowding and to give the best chance of survival. This is best done as soon as the plants are large enough to handle. Useful tools are a Trowel, Weedfork and dibber.

Young plants should be moved to their final growing position well before the flowering period to enable a good root system to develop. This is best carried out with the aid of a transplanting trowel.

Looking after yourself

Please take care when using all Spear & Jackson products. Wearing suitable footwear, gloves and protective clothing is always advisable, and caution should be taken with sharp edges.

• Always wear strong, sturdy footwear.
• Wear protective gloves.
• Maintain an upright stance to avoid unnecessary back strain.
• Do not stay in the same position for long periods of time, and take regular breaks.
• Use the tool for the purpose it was designed for.
• Never leave tools on the ground, and do not let children use them when unsupervised.
• Use kneepads or kneeling mats to avoid damage to your knees.
• Do not overstretch - maintain your balance, and apply force gently and steadily.
• Taller people should select longer-shafted products.