JOBS TO DO THIS WEEK

You can plant summer flowering bulbs, corms and tubers such as lilies, cannas, ranunculus and gladioli into pots or directly into the ground.

Prune hydrangeas, removing old flower heads and cutting back to a healthy pair of buds.

Protect emerging delphiniums and hostas from slugs and snails. If you use slug pellets, consider ferric phosphate organic pellets that won’t harm other wildlife.

Place cardboard collars around brassica veg such as cabbages and broccoli to prevent cabbage root fly laying their eggs.

In the greenhouse, you can sow seeds of courgette, marrow, pumpkin, aubergine, sweet pepper and sweetcorn.

It’s a good idea to get any supporting stakes or hoops in the ground now to allow foliage to grow up and blend them into the garden.

Plant up hanging baskets with summer bedding but don’t put them outside just yet.

Fruit trees are starting to blossom but frost may still cause damage – cover blossom where possible if frost is forecast.