Essential Gardening Jobs for Early Summer

As the days grow longer and warmer, gardens come into their full stride. Early summer is a crucial time to set the stage for healthy, vibrant growth throughout the season. From planting out young seedlings to monitoring for pests and diseases, there's a lot to do in every corner of the garden. Here’s a breakdown of essential tasks to keep your garden flourishing in the early summer months.

Ornamental Garden

The objective of good cultivation is to keep plants growing at an even rate. Feeding with dry fertilisers and/or liquid feeds is important during the summer months, as well as constant vigilance against insect pests, diseases and weeds. It is important to remember that some weeds will act as alternative hosts for a number of pests and diseases.

The seedlings of wallflowers, Siberian wallflowers, forget-me-nots, honesty and Canterbury bells from seeds sown in mid- or late-spring can be thinned to about 15cm (6 in) apart, to help side shoots develop. The larger seedlings from the later thinning will benefit from being planted out in a fresh bed.

Young plants of half-hardy annuals which have been hardened off in preparation for planting can be planted out once the risk of frost has diminished. If there is a dry period following planting, water regularly until the plants are well established.

Prepare hanging baskets for putting out-of-doors, even in cool positions. Line each basket with polythene in which a few holes have been punctured, then line thoroughly with sphagnum moss or a coir insert before planting up with half-hardy annuals. Use John Innes No. 2 potting compost. Hanging baskets need careful watering as they dry out quickly, though a water-retaining gel mixed into the compost before planting may help.

Deadhead lilacs, rhododendrons and azaleas to allow new shoots to develop.

Regularly check for aphids, black spot and mildew on roses and, in dry periods, watch out for ant activity, especially on newly-planted specimens.

Mulch plants in herbaceous borders, especially Michaelmas daisies and phlox, and continue hoeing among all the plants where bare soil is exposed.

Late-flowering bulbs can be lifted and heeled in until the foliage has died down, then they can be lifted, cleaned and stored.

Vegetable Garden

Continue seed sowing for crop continuity. Ridge cucumbers, marrows, cauliflowers, savoy cabbages, broccoli, French beans and runner beans can be planted outdoors.

Lettuces, peas, beet, radishes and spinach sown in mid- or late-spring will be ready for thinning in two stages.

Plant out leek seedlings in holes 15cm (6 in) deep in rows 30cm (1ft.) apart with 15cm (6 in) between the plants in the rows. Make each hole with a dibber, sufficiently deep to take both plant and roots without any cramping. Do not fill the holes with soil or firm round the plants with the foot, simply fill each hole with water to settle in the plants.

Outdoor tomatoes can be planted out now, plant and stake before watering well. Have some fleece protection handy in case there are any cold nights after a sunny day.

Plant out celery, keeping a good ball of soil at the root of each plant, and water the plant in very well. Celery needs plenty of feed and moisture. Once the plants are established give a liquid feed.

Earth up potatoes and spray with a fungicide to pre-empt potato blight, if blight resistant cultivars have not been used. The first early varieties should be ready for lifting.

Regularly hoe among the rows of vegetables to eliminate competing weeds.

Fruit Garden

Position traps along the rows to control adult raspberry beetle and prevent damage to the fruits.

Plum fruits can be thinned if required when they are the size of acorns. If there is still a heavy crop later, support the branches with poles or posts to prevent branches breaking or splitting.

Apples may start to shed some small fruits, this is a natural process and it is usually those fruitlets with the fewest seeds which would never reach maturity. This fruit drop may be excessive in dry conditions, so be prepared to irrigate as required.

Greenhouse / Polytunnel / Conservatory

Plenty of ventilation is a must as the weather gets warmer during the day, but watch for sudden falls in temperature at night. Damping down is important as daytime temperatures rise, and shading will help to reduce the risk of plants getting sun scorch.

Pot on into larger pots rooted cuttings of perpetual-flowering carnations and chrysanthemums.

Inspect plants regularly for both red spider mite and whitefly and introduce predators and parasites to control these pests. (If either of these pests have been present in previous years, introduce controls anyway as a precaution).