Well Andrew may be motor rallying around Europe but the garden still needs attention, so I took a look at the notes Andrew had left lying around to try to keep you up to speed with what you need to be looking at in the garden this week. At the same in an effort to keep us entertained we played a selection of smoother sounds which I hope were suitable for a Sunday morning.

Anyway here are the tips Andrew had provided: –

• Cut back the faded flowers of Pulmonaria and if you do not want a border full of Aquilegia cut back the flower heads to stop seeds being dispersed along the border!
• Feed fast growing plants weekly
• Watch out for Lily Beetle and sqaush them!

Flower Garden

• Plant out dahlias into well-prepared soil that’s been enriched with manure
• Cut down pulmonarias to just above soil level after flowering to encourage new foliage
• Clip box hedging and topiary to keep it neat
• Regularly tie tall stems of delphiniums to supports to prevent them flopping over
• Scatter granular fertiliser around the base of roses, shrubs, perennials and hedges, and water in thoroughly if rain does not fall over the next week

The Fruit and Vegetable Garden

• Sow seeds of dwarf beans in rows and climbing ones alongside canes
• Plant out crops being raised in pots under glass, such as marrows, courgettes and tomatoes
• Cover soft fruits with netting to prevent birds eating them
• Sow a few seeds of salad leaves and stir-fry leaf crops every 2-3 weeks to ensure a regular supply
• Sow seeds of the following crops outside this week: beetroot, lettuce, watercress, rocket, radish, spring onions, coriander, parsley, chives, carrots, Swedes, turnip, leaf beet, spinach, cabbage, peas and mangetout, endive, marrows and courgettes, turnips and Witloof chicory
• Plant out leeks into their final position once they are pencil thick

Greenhouse

• Take cuttings from pelargoniums and fuchsias
• Repot rooted cuttings into containers a size larger, to prevent them from becoming pot-bound
• Check plants regularly for signs of pests
• Pinch out the tips of rooted cuttings to encourage bushy plants

The man himself returns next week so mercifully things will return to some semblance of order.

All the best,

Scott