Gardening club

Jobs to do in the garden this month

• Cut back the side-shoots by half of any trained fruit trees.

• Pinch out the tips of broad beans to discourage blackfly.

• Feed container grown fruit trees with a liquid potash fertiliser

• Check shrubs regularly for aphids, treat with a soap or chemical spray.

• Feed tomato plants fortnightly with a liquid fertiliser (this must be diluted in water to prevent burning the plants)

• Tie tomato stems to canes or stakes to prevent the weight of the fruit breaking the plant.

• Ensure that soil in hanging baskets and patio planters is kept moist. Remove fading and dead flower heads from plants, this will encourage new flowers. Feed hanging baskets and planters weekly with liquid fertiliser if a slow release fertiliser was not added when planting the basket.

• Depending on recent weather conditions and daytime temperature, gooseberries should now be ready to be picked.

• Continually nip outside shoots from upright (cordon) tomato plants. 

• Prune wisteria