A couple of months ago we wrote about the importance of monitoring pests. High summer is the time to look out for Box tree caterpillars. The first sign is often not the caterpillars themselves, but the webbing that they leave amongst the foliage. If not dealt with promptly these caterpillars will completely defoliate plants.

Defoliated Box Hedge

Roses will be in full bloom by now and regular dead-heading will keep the display going. Also keep on dead-heading summer bedding in borders and containers and make sure that you keep containers watered and fed.

July is a good time for pruning late spring flowering shrubs like Wisteria and Philadelphus. For Wisteria cut out the new long, whippy growth, taking it back to 6-7 buds. For Philadelphus cut out older flowered wood as next year’s flowers will form on this summer’s growth.

If the weather is warm and dry, make sure that you keep clematis well watered and if possible shade the root area. It is also helpful to water regularly in greenhouses. Quite a lot of tomato problems can be traced back to irregular watering, the most common being blossom end rot.

Now that they are in full growth it is the perfect time to prune stone fruit like cherries and plums. Pruning at this time of year will help to minimise the risk of silverleaf infection.

Lift early potatoes as and when needed to enjoy them at their freshest and once the foliage dies back lift garlic bulbs ready for storage (or indeed making garlic butter for your new potatoes).

New Potatoes at their best

As spring turns to summer keep an eye on lawns. We have had a number of hot dry spells in the early summer in recent years and if this happens again one of the best things to do is to raise the cut height of mowers to avoid stressing the grass. If you have naturalised bulbs in grass, the foliage should have died back and fed the bulbs, so start mowing these areas again. Edging lawns will help to keep them looking neat.

Variegated shrubs like Euonymus will be in full growth now and you’ll be able to see branches where the variegation has reverted. Cut out all stems where foliage is all green (or indeed all yellow or white) leaving just those where the variegation is as you want it.

June is an ideal time for planting out tender plants including summer bedding and tender crops such as cucurbits and Sweetcorn. Make sure that you keep all new plants well watered until they settle in.

Watering pots in sweet corn bed

In the fruit garden, remove runners from strawberry plants to focus energy on the setting and swelling fruit. Similarly, after the “June Drop” thin apples and pears to encourage the formation of better quality fruit. If you have a heavy set on plum trees, then also thin out the plums to reduce the weight on branches.

Tomatoes will now be growing on strongly, so keep pinching out side shoots in order to foster a strong central stem to transport water, nutrients and sugars around the plant.

Side shoot for pinching out

Pinched out