General Tasks
Clip box hedging and topiary shapes, this is traditionally done on Derby day. Hanging baskets are safe to go outside now but check them for water daily and water as necessary, feed with a liquid feed fortnightly if you didn't add a slow release feed at planting time. Watch out for aphids and spray with a systemic insecticide. Continue to fill any gaps in the garden with bedding plants.
Trees and Shrubs
Spray roses fortnightly throughout the Summer with Roseclear to kill off aphids and prevent blackspot on the leaves. Regularly remove dead flower heads from roses to extend the flowering season. Prune back early flowering montana and macropetala clematis if required.
Bulbs and Perennials
Stake Summer flowering bulbs such as Gladioli, and lilies as they continue to grow.
Vegetable Garden
Regularly water tomato plants and feed weekly with a liquid tomato feed once flower trusses start to appear. Early potatoes will start to be ready to lift from this month, (depending on variety and growing conditions).
Lawns
With the grass growing strongly, cut your lawns weekly with the blades set low. Carry on treating lawn weeds with a suitable lawn weedkiller
Quick Tips
- Straw under strawberries to keep fruit
- Sow wallflowers for autumn planting
- Treat containers if vine weevil is suspected
- There is still time to prune part or all of clumps of herbaceous perennials, back to 10-15cm to reduce height and extend flowering. Try on Phlox, Sedum spectabilis, Campanula, Achillea and Asters
