JOBS for the 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.