Search - Articles

Replenish gravel and grit mulches around alpine plantsPut slug barrier products around the tender new shoots of hostas and perennialsDig plenty of compost into heavy clay soilsCut down marginal plants around ponds, and mulch with compost or bark

Move plants from greenhouse to cold frame, to acclimatise to cooler temperatures before planting outDig out new ponds and water featuresClean and sharpen secateurs and garden knivesBuy summer-flowering bulbs now, while the best choice of varieties

Cut out any plain green shoots developing on variegated shrubs and treesTreat moss and weeds in lawns with weed killer, and boost growth with a lawn feedHoe bare areas of soil to prevent weed seedlings from establishing themselvesPlant up ponds

Feed fast-growing plants with a diluted liquid or powdered fertiliser Thin out congested pond plantsHand weed flower beds to prevent weeds establishing and setting seedBuild simple log piles at the back of borders to provide shelter for frogs, toads

Add lawn cuttings to the compost heap, or use them to mulch around fruit trees Mow and edge your lawnTie stems of tall perennials to supportsFeed houseplants every week with a liquid fertiliserClean out filters of pond pumps to get rid of any debris

Sow green manure crops to fill bare soilRemove pond weedsHoe and hand weed bordersFeed plants such as roses, shrubs and hedgesPrepare soil ready for sowing a lawn or laying turf during September and OctoberSend off for mail-order bulb catalogues

Fix nesting boxes for birds to suitable trees around your gardenService petrol lawn mowers and power toolsKeep indoor azaleas well-watered with rainwaterMake fat cakes and hang them among roses to encourage bluetits to feed off overwintering pests

Plant tagetes with your tomatoes, to act as companion flowers which deter pests Scoop out floating pond weed and algae from poolsHoe bare soil and hand weed beds weekly to prevent weeds from establishing and setting seedPut soft tops on the tips

Pick dead flower-heads off rhododendrons and azaleasHoe borders to keep down weeds, or treat with weedkillerScoop floating weed out of garden ponds with a netFeed lawns with a liquid or granular lawn fertiliserTrim hedges like privet and Lonicera

Compost your kitchen and garden wasteTop up the water level in garden ponds when it starts getting low in summer Push canes in around tall plants like gladioli and lilies and tie them to the stems for supportPlace eye protectors on the tops of all