As gardeners cross their fingers for plant-friendly weather throughout June, gardening expert Nicholas Warliker talks us through his tips for what to do in the garden this week.
1) The first thing to do in the garden this week is to complete all bedding, so even the half-hearted plants can go out. It is June so dahlias and anything like this can go out.
2)People can sow salad leaves like leaf lettuce, radish and the quick maturing salad crops.
3)With tomatoes, remove the side shoots, if they are Cordon types. It is wasted growth. Once the first lot of flowers have set, you can start feeding the tomatoes. If a proprietary feed is used, then something like Tomorite or any high potash feed would be good. That will keep them going.
4) With cucumber, if they are climbing ones, they will want to be continually tied in. They need to be continually fed, and remember to keep the moisture levels up. If they are in a greenhouse, keep a high humidity. Keep a bucket of water in there and that will also prevent red spider mite.
5) With fruit trees, once June drop has taken place then cut any other excess apples.
Nicholas Warliker is a senior plant advisor at Podington Garden Centre in north Northamptonshire. He was also head gardener to Princess Alice of Barnwell Manor.
The guide will soon include a monthly gardening problem page and we would like to hear your questions so they can be posed to a gardening expert.
Contact the features team by tweeting @chrongardening or emailing nicole.lemarie@northantsnews.co.uk