JOBS IN THE GARDEN THIS MONTH
Flowers
Stake and tie the taller herbaceous plants before wind and rain flattens them.
If you wish to increase your plants, now is a good time to take softwood cuttings of
Argranthemum, Fuchsias and Pelargonium together with shrubs such as Buddleja,
Hydrangea and Lavandula.
Sow winter flowering Pansies, ornamental cabbages, Wallflowers and Bellis for a
spring display.
Tie in the shoots of Climbing and Rambling Roses as horizontal as possible to
encourage better flowering.
Fruit
Thin fruit especially Apple and Plum trees for bigger fruit and less broken branches.
Vegetables
Harvest early Peas and make additional sowings until the end of June for a late crop.
Finish planting out tender vegetables raised under cover, such as Peppers, Tomatoes,
Cucumbers and Squashes. Protect with fleece if necessary.
Continue to sow Runner Beans, French Beans, Sweet Corn and Pumpkin directly into
the open ground.
Grow catch crops between slower maturing vegetables such as Brassicas. Suitable
catch crops would be Lettuce and Radish.
Hang yellow sticky traps up in the greenhouse to indicate the presence of Whitefly on
Tomatoes and Cucumbers. If they are seen either use an insecticide suitable for
vegetables or use biological control before an infestation develops.
General
Trim topiary, especially Buxus this month.
Most plants will benefit from regular applications of a liquid feed from this time.
Remember that most composts bought today only have enough fertilizer included in
them for a maximum of six weeks, so liquid feeding is essential before this time has
elapsed.
Damp down the paths of the greenhouse if the weather is hot to create a satisfactory
atmosphere for the plants but remember to do this between midmorning and mid
afternoon, never in the evening.