Nine great Bank Holiday jobs

It’s all about looking good now and laying strong foundations for the months ahead

1 Deadhead lilies before they expend energy making seeds and feed them with liquid tomato fertiliser fortnightly as they die back. Keep feeding patio containers, too.

2 Squish blackflies and other aphids between your (gloved) fingers, check pots for slugs and snails, and treat for vine weevils if container plants start to fade rapidly.

3 Make some practical additions to the garden. Flagstone paths help protect grassy areas with high footfall, and butts will collect rain and so reduce your metered water bill.

4 It will soon be the season for cutting back and taking out, so keep tools clean and sharp. A regularly sharpened hoe makes swift work of weeds all year round.

5 Keep picking crops such as beans to prolong their harvesting season. Slide a tray or old tile under squashes and gourds to raise them off the damp ground as they ripen.

6 Treat diseases as soon as you see them. Remove and dispose of rose material affected by blackspot and get rid of leaves affected by powdery mildew.

7 Give most houseplants their last feed of the year as they stop growing. Deadhead, remove dead leaves and catch annoying sciarid flies in bottle lids filled with almond oil.

8 Tomatoes slow to ripen? Gently loosen their roots and hang a browning banana in the greenhouse. Keep humidity up and temperatures level by wetting the greenhouse floor.

9 Start raking up the first fallen leaves for leafmould and make sure trees are healthy and secure. Tree ties and stakes help keep new plantings stable in stormy weather.