Full Summer...

• Deadhead old flowers regularly to extend the flowering season

• For hardy geraniums, it is better to cut off all the foliage and old flowers as flowering slows, then to water well and feed with a liquid feed and allow new stems and flowers to regrow from the base for a second flush

• Water plants in beds or borders very thoroughly but with longer intervals between watering

• Pots, containers, and hanging baskets should watered more frequently so the compost in these containers does not dry out completely as it will become very difficult to re-wet

• A drop of washing-up liquid in the water can help to get water back into an over-dry rootball

• Feed all plants growing in tubs or containers fortnightly with a high potash/potassium (K) liquid fertiliser

• Feed tomatoes and cucumbers growing in pots or growbags weekly with the same high potassium feed

• The lower leaves of tomato plants can be removed to allow more light to reach the ripening trusses

• Sow seeds of biennials such as wallflowers (Erysimum), foxgloves (Digitalis), Bellis, and sweet rocket (Herperis), perennials such as primulas, pansies and violas, and hardy annuals such as Calendula, and in the vegetable garden, continue to succession sow lettuce, carrots, beetroot and radishes

• Pick fruit and vegetables regularly.  This is especially true for beans and peas that will reduce or stop flowering as mature pods ripen, and for courgettes that will become marrows if left too long.  

• Garlic should be ready to harvest towards the end of July as the leaves start to go brown and drop, but try to harvest, dry, and store the bulbs before the tops are completely dead as it can be difficult to find them in the soil, and the usually tightly packed cloves will split open in the bulb if left too long in wet ground

• Mow with blades set one or two stops higher than normal - longer grass will be much more tolerant of dry weather and will stay green for longer

• Lawns should not be watered – they will recover once they get some rain