Garden Essentials

Choose thick, puncture-resistant gloves, ideally with long cuffs to protect your forearms from thorns. Lighter gloves are fine for general weeding and potting.

Use fine mesh netting, keep it pulled taut over a frame and secure the edges to the ground. Check it regularly, as loose netting can trap birds and hedgehogs.

Use soft twine or stretchy plant ties in a loose figure-of-eight between the stem and the support. This holds the plant without rubbing or cutting into the stem as it grows.

Garden waste sacks suit leaves, grass cuttings, weeds and prunings. If you use your council's garden waste collection, check its rules on what it accepts.