Get those courgettes into the ground
■ PLANT out young courgettes, pumpkins and squashes. If you didn’t grow these from seed, there are plenty available in garden centres.
■ THIN out carrot seedlings. Remember to remove the thinnings completely – if left about their scent will attract carrot fly. You can cover with horticultural mesh to keep carrot fly away.
■ COLLECT seed from candelabra primulas and sow fresh. Pop a few nasturtium seeds in pots for a bag to minimize water loss. You’ll want to get these planted up as soon as possible after cutting. Plants lose water through their leaves so trim leaves from the base – you only need leaves at the tip. Remember to use clean secateurs – you are creating an open wound in the plant, so you don’t want dirt to get in.
You can use a hormone rooting powder to stimulate root growth – just tap some powder into your palm and dip the bottom of the cutting into it, shaking off any excess. You can also make rooting hormone solutions from store cupboard items such as a teaspoon of
Follow these steps and you’ll be surprised how often cuttings will flourish late summer vibrant display.
■ START feeding tomatoes in grow bags with high potash feed to encourage flowers and fruit.
■ TIE in climbing and rambling roses – the more you train them horizontally, the more this will encourage side shoots to develop and produce more flowers. Spray roses to protect against diseases. ■ WATER containers, pots, window boxes and remember to feed them fortnightly.
■ TRAIN sweet peas and start cutting flowers as they appear so you’ll get more.
■ PLAN for next spring – now’s the time to start sowing seeds of Bellis perennis, polyanthus, pansies and wallflowers so they will be in flower (when very little else is) for brightening up the garden in late winter/early spring.
■ SOFT fruit such as gooseberries need netting over before the birds tuck in.