This calendar pinpoints the essential tasks of the seasons and suggests plants to provide colour throughout the year.
Lawns Mow regularly, water during dry spells. Apply organic weedkiller and fertilizer.
Trees and Shrubs Keep soil around the shrubs and trees well watered. Clip Lavender bushes after flowering. Cut back wisteria.
Perennials Make sure perenials never dry out, particularly autumn-flowering species such as Michaelmas daises, golden rod and heleniums. Dead head all faded flowers not needed for their seeds. Keep chrysanthemums well supported and tied in; continue to disbud.
Roses Prune ramblers after flowering. Continue to spray against mildew and watch out for suckers which should be removed.
Annuals Dead-head regularly and water well in dry spells.
Biennials Dead-head regularly and water well. Remove plants that have finished flowering.
Bulbs Plant crocus corms as soon as they are available at stockists; replant any established bulbs previously removed to make room for annuals in the position you want them to flower. Continue to dead-head and tie in dahlias; rub out young buds on side shoots.
Fruit Continue summer pruning of trained apple and pear trees. Prune peach trees after fruiting and tie in replacement shoots. Plant new strawberry plants, and plant runners from established plants. Continue to cut back raspberry canes after fruiting to just above soil level; support new canes and sprinkle organic fertilizer on surrounding soil. Prune black currant bushes.
Vegetables As you harvest your vegetable crops, prepare the ground for more cultivation. It is still possible to sow lettuces, radishes, spinach and turnips. Sow carrots and onions (to be covered with cloches later) for harvesting in winter. Early in the month sow spring cabbages and winter greens. Feed Brussel sprouts with general fertilizer. Water runner beans, spray them against blackfly and give them a liquid feed. Spray brassicas against cabbage white catapillars and aphids. Liquid soap diluted in water works well in my experience. Earth up trench-blanching celery. Start lifting main crop potatoes. Fumigate greenhouses to erradicate pests and diseases.
Flower colour Early flowering chrysanthemums, begonias, heleniums, marigolds, lobelias, sunflowers, lilies, heathers, buddleias.
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