JOBS TO DO THIS WEEK

■ Watering plants is a priority in this weather – do so when it’s cooler in the morning or evening as otherwise you will lose a lot of water to evaporation. Water plants thoroughly – a little trickle will just evaporate off the surface. Move pots into shade if possible.

■ You can increase your stock of border carnations by layering. Choose a healthy side shoot that isn’t flowering, bend it over without snapping the stem and peg firmly into the ground with some wire. Cover the stem with soil, and water in.

■ Irises that have become congested can be divided to improve vigour. Lift them carefully to avoid damaging rhizomes, and gently split apart to replant.

■ Having trouble with earwigs on your dahlias? Make traps with pots stuffed with shredded paper, and remove earwigs daily.

■ Prune climbing and rambling roses when they finish flowering.

■ You can trim conifer and evergreen hedges as a final tidy up before autumn slows down growth.

■ Colchicum, sternbergia and autumn crocus can be planted out as soon as they are available to buy in the garden centre.