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Grow early-maturing potatoes in a bag of compostFork compost into beds to prepare soil for plantingChit potatoes by standing them in trays in a warm bright position until they develop small shootsDig out problem weeds and emerging annual weedsPlant Jerusalem artichokesCover rhuba...

Sow peas in lengths of guttering under cover, so you can plant out seedlings in an instant rowPlant out onion sets in rows, spacing them about 10-15cm apartCarefully dig away grass or plants growing close to the stems of fruit trees to reduce

Cover rows of strawberries with cloches to encourage early fruitingPlant early potatoes outside in rows, or in large pots of compostSpray fruit trees and bushes with fungicide to prevent powdery mildew disease attacking themPick off faded and yellowing leaves from Brussels sprout...

Sow sweetcorn in deep modular seed trays under cover to plant out in early JuneFeed fruit trees and bushesPlant out onion sets grown in pots under glassOrder vegetable plug plants from mail-order suppliersWarm soil with cloches or sheets of polythene for early sowingsPlant out ma...

and stir-fry leaf crops every 2-3 weeks to ensure a regular supplySow seeds of the following crops outside this week: beetroot, lettuce, watercress, rocket, radish, spring onions, coriander, parsley, chives, carrots, Swedes, turnip, leaf beet, spinach

Hang old CDs among crops and from fruit trees to scare away birdsWater beans and sweet peas as they start to flowerGive extra water to ripening soft fruits such as raspberries, gooseberries, strawberries and currantsFeed tomatoes and crops in growing bagsHarvest early potatoes, c...

Check sweetcorn to see if it's ripe and ready to pick. This is when the tassels start to go brownPick beans and water crops regularlyLift onions once their tops die downPick plums as they ripenUse netting to protect blackberries, autumn raspberries and other berries from birdsCu...

Harvest young marrows but leave some to fully ripen for storage and winter useTrim leaves from strawberries that have finished fruitingPlant out rooted strawberry runners into new bedsPick early varieties of apple as they ripen including 'Discovery', 'Laxton's Epicure' and 'Georg...

Prune out fruited canes on summer-cropping raspberriesPinch out tops of main shoots on outdoor tomato plantsPrune trained forms of fruit treesPick sweetcorn cobsContinue picking plums and freeze any surplus right awayLift and store onions and shallotsOrder garlic and onion sets f...

Finish summer pruning trained forms of apple and pear trees Harvest apples, pears, plums and gages as they ripenSave seeds from good varieties of beans, herbs and tomatoes that you've enjoyed this yearPot up herbs to use in winterPrune out fruited blackberry stems and tie in new...