As the weather warms up aphids can be a problem on roses and various other plants, there are many types of anti aphid sprays on the market. If you feel that you want to be friendly towards the environment, spraying with a weak solution of washing up liquid will have the desired effect but on a less permanent basis. Here on the nursery we have little trouble with aphids, we have encouraged a large population of small birds, which we feed through the winter. Then in spring they repay us by going round all the plants eating the aphids on a regular daily patrol.

In the greenhouse, now is the time to plant your tomato plants, these are best grown in grow bags, which are readily available. The advantage of the grow bag is that the feed is incorporated and no Tomato disease is carried over from last year in old soil. For the home grower 'Shirley' is the best cropping variety, but if you are not too confident of your growing abilities, 'Moneymaker' 'Alicanti' or 'Ailsa Craig' are your best bet.

On a windy or hot site wire hanging baskets soon dry out, in a secluded or dark area plastic hanging baskets or pots can become waterlogged. It is best to use top quality compost, the plants have limited room to find nourishment and just any old soil will not do.

Moss is the traditional liner for wire hanging baskets, but today there are many commercial produced liners available or if you wish to be really economical, a green plastic shopping bag will surfice.

The plants for hanging baskets come in three categories, Accent plants to take centre stage and give the arrangement height, Filler plants to bulk up the arrangement and trailing plants to flow over the side. In a wire hanging basket theses trailers can be planted into the sides of the basket.

There are various brands of slow release fertiliser pellets, which you mix into the compost when planting, a definite must. Geraniums, Fuchsias and double Begonias make excellent center, spot plants; for the filling use standard spring bedding plants, you can introduce a colour theme if you wish.

As for the trailing plants, today there are many specialist-trailing plants available both with attractive foliage and flowers, also trailing Fuchsias and trailing Begonias give a lovely show.

One trailing plant that is really popular today is the 'Surfinia' a hybrid form of petunia with a rampant growth and masses of flowers, this is best grown in its own pot.