Vine weevils are one of the regrettable features of modern gardening. It is the creamy, brown-nosed larvae that do most damage, chomping into the roots of plants. Many species are fodder for them, but primula, heuchera, cyclamen, fuchsia and anything growing in a container in peat-based compost are special favourites. If any of these plants are looking unexpectedly sickly, chances are that they are the victim of the awful Otiorhynchus sulcatus. Unfortunately, by the time the symptoms appear, it's often too late to save the plant, but dig it up anyway and inspect the roots. If you discover the curled-over, off-white grubs, be sure to carry out a thorough search-and-destroy manoeuvre: there are likely to be dozens of them. Adult vine weevil, which are maturing now and appearing in the garden, are about a centimetre long and have dull brownblack, slightly speckled and corrugated backs. They feed on the leaves of plants, and leave notches in the edges - especially evident in rhododendron and bergenia. They only come out at night, but in the day may be found sheltering in odd untidy corners among leaf debris and suchlike.
On a much more pleasant note, sweet basil can be sown now to grow on a sunny window sill, in a greenhouse or in a pot in a baking-hot spot in the garden. After germination, water only when the compost dries out, as it collapses fatally if over-watered.