WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
SOW foxglove and other biennials in pots or in the garden.
DAHLIAS need weekly feeding and tall ones can be staked now. TAKE softwood and semi-ripe cuttings. TAKE cuttings from tender plants to over-winter indoors. CUT sweet pea flowers regularly to prevent them going to seed and enjoy their scent indoors.
PINCH out tomato shoots. Feed tomatoes, peppers and cucumber with high potash fertiliser once fruits start to form.
CHECK for cabbage white butterfly eggs under cabbage leaves and remove.
SOW spring cabbage, turnips, fennel and autumn/winter salads. CHERRY, plum and peach trees can be pruned if need be now – this is a job you can’t do in winter due to a risk of silver leaf disease. STOP climbing beans when they reach the tops of their stakes so they divert energy to cropping on side shoots. Keep all vegetables sufficiently watered. MISSED the potato planting season? You can get cold-stored tubers which can be planted now and will mature for Christmas. These are best planted in bags or containers that can be brought indoors to a greenhouse