JOBS for the week

■ Sow foxglove and other biennials either in pots or scatter in the garden.

■ Dahlias need weekly feeding, and tall ones can be staked now. ■ It’s a good time to take softwood and semi-ripe cuttings – this is a great way to grow relatively expensive plants such as Buxus. ■ Take cuttings from tender plants to over-winter indoors. ■ Cut sweet pea flowers regularly to prevent them going to seed and enjoy their beautiful scent indoors. ■ Pinch out tomato shoots. Feed tomatoes, peppers and cucumber with high potash fertiliser once fruit starts to form.

■ Cherry, plum and peach trees can be pruned if needs be now – this is a job you can’t do in winter as there is a risk of silver leaf disease.

■ Check for cabbage white butterfly eggs under cabbage leaves and remove.

■ Sow spring cabbage, turnips, fennel and autumn/winter salads.

■ Pinch out climbing beans when they reach the top of their stakes so they divert energy to cropping on side shoots. Remember to keep them and all vegetables sufficiently watered. ■ Missed the potato planting season? You can get cold-stored tubers which can be planted now and will mature for Christmas. These are best planted in bags or containers that can be brought indoors to a greenhouse before first frosts.