Divide and multiply
Ornamentals
Divide bearded irises if they are crowded or more plants are sought.
Cut a clump up so each piece of at least 15cm has a fan of leaves. Discard withered rhizomes.
Trim back leaves to about 15cm and trim roots a little. Plant immediately – on the surface of heavy soils and deeper in light sandy ones – about 30cm apart in a sunny spot, and water in well.
Bulbs may be planted right through to autumn… the longer the planting season, the longer the blooming display.
Cutting off weed seed heads such as grasses, fennel, teasel will lessen their spread a little but leaving them on will continue the plant’s attractiveness well into winter.
To lessen the presence of foliar diseases such as mildew and black spot in susceptible plants, water in the morning, to let foliage dry quickly, and use soak hoses which wet the soil, not the plant. Sulphur or copper-based organic fungicides can be applied in the evening to prevent leaf burn.
Discard diseased foliage in the rubbish bin rather than risk spreading the disease by composting it. Some gardeners like to bury it and let it break down in the soil without risking other plants.
Edibles
With inadequate water lemon trees may produce small or dry fruit, or drop its fruit prematurely. After watering mulch well. Dry fruit can also be caused by too much nitrogen, so avoid nitrogen-rich fertilisers; and thick skins by too much phosphorus. Make things easy for yourself by using a proprietal citrus fertiliser.
Leave some radishes to flower – they will attract beneficial insects.
Now the summer is coming to an end, it is a good time to sow coriander, which might otherwise bolt in the heat.
Any seedlings of winter vegetables could be mulched with compost and/or pea straw to help retain moisture, and suppress weeds.
Nip off ends of pumpkin runners to limit number of pumpkins, especially if you want big ones. The richer the soil, the more pumpkins it will support.
Spent crops such as peas, beans, sweetcorn should be added to the compost heap after harvest. Or chop up with spade and dig into the soil.
Did you know… if given a covered sheltered site such as a sunny courtyard or glasshouse, tomatoes can be kept growing over winter? Some tomato plants have been recorded to be seven years old. – Mary Lovell-Smith