It’s time to ...

Collect offshoots of succulents (above) to plant in pots and baskets, and create displays that will thrive in the summer heat

Apply a liquid or granular wetting agent over dry lawns to help rainfall penetrate more easily when it arrives

Use soapy water to wash sooty mould off leaves, and look for aphids, mealy bugs or sap-sucking scale, which could be causing the problem

Check potted plants every day to see if they need extra watering during the hot weather

Pluck spent blooms from summer annuals, such as petunias, to encourage them to produce more flowers

Keep on top of weeds or they’ll take over while your back is turned

Spray anti-transpirant over leaves of heat-sensitive plants, such as ferns, to protect them from sunburn

Do a test dig after you have run your watering system to make sure moisture has penetrated all the way down to root level

Check hippeastrum, clivia, crinum and other strap-leafed plants regularly for the first signs of damage from the leaf-chewing lily caterpillar

Give an older friend or relative a handmade gift card promising your help in their garden for as many hours as you can spare