Call us ambitious and curse us for jinxing it, but we’re pretty sure that summer is almost here. After a gorgeous day in Kent, we’re all starting to think about the chores and tasks that begin to rear their heads in light of the upcoming good weather. Hopefully our summer will last longer than the five-minute season we had last year. Hopefully.
Flowers and plants
- Roses need a closer pair of hands now. Check your growth for any conditions, this can range from mildew damage to aphid infestations. If you spot any, make sure you root them out straight away or you might find yourself rose-less this summer. Make sure you’re fertilising them every month and that any climbing roses are tied securely. Growth spurts will test even the best knots, so tie them tight. Once your roses bloom, prune them.
- Houseplants can be treated to a little holiday in the warmer weather outdoors soon. This will do them wonders and allow them to take on new colours and growth, so make sure that you’re bringing them out when possible. Consider that they’re still house plants, so give them as much shelter from the elements as possible.
- Deadhead like there’s no tomorrow. There won’t be any tomorrow unless you do, deadheading is vital for season-long blooms of your perennials.
The vegetable patch
- You want to continue sowing carrots and lettuce, dill too if you’ve got some in. Depending on how optimistic you are about the British summer, you’re going to want to choose heat-resistant salad greens and sow them in small batches a week or so apart.
- Make sure sensitive vegetables aren’t in direct sunlight all day, every day. Try planting them on the shadier side of your tomato row, so that they receive the nutrients and warmth of the sun without being baked.
- Sweet potatoes, despite popular belief, can thrive in England. These need to go into the ground around now.
- Obviously don’t forget your tomatoes. Early June is best.
The ‘hands and knees’ jobs
- Get stuck into your compost heaps and bins, it needs turning to prevent too much rot setting in.
- Lay mulch around your woodier plants, but don’t forget to clean away any weeds and grass first. Aim for two inches of mulch.
- Speaking of weeds, they’re probably encroaching on your plants and plating space now. Have you got a trowel handy?
- Pests of all shapes and sizes are going to descend on your garden. We’re talking about invisibly small bugs all the way up to ambitious birds and hungry rabbits.