Will this wind ever stop? My garden doesn’t like it as it batters my pretty hollyhocks and dries everything out.

So watering has been upped a stage and the deadheading continues of course.

But I know these tasks are worth doing of course to extend the season and be rewarded with another flush of flowers.

If your lawn is suffering a bit also from the lack of water you can give it a pick me up by applying a quick-acting summer feed, especially if you’ve missed the spring feed.

Raise the cutting height on your mower to leave the lawn longer will also help it.

Fruit and veg

The courgettes are coming thick and fast. I find you can pretty much hide a courgette in most meals you make, grating them into salads raw or into a bolognaise sauce without anyone even noticing!

Are your onions and garlic ready? If you planted them in the autumn and the leaves have started yellowing and dying back, then they are. Lift them, leave to dry out on earth in sun for up to two weeks or if wet you can make a drying rack using chicken wire.

After that, the foliage should be papery dry and you can tie the bulbs in plaits and store in net bags or in a single layers in trays somewhere light and well ventilated.

Are your first early or early potatoes ready? If you are not sure, brush some of the soil away and have a look, if they are large enough you can harvest them, lifting and allowing to dry for a few hours before storing.

Sow herbs

Coriander, Parsley, Chervil, Dill and Lovage and Basil can all be sown now to keep you in herbs for the months to come and you can take cuttings of perennial herbs such as Mint, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Lemon Verbena & Tarragon.

Tomatoes

These need a feed once a week with a high potash feed, tie them in to a cane supporting them and nip out the side shoots which seem to appear overnight!

Thin your fruit

On my bike the other day I passed an apple orchard and spotted the fruit thinning taking place, which prompted me to remind you to do the same at home on your apple, pears, plum and peach trees.

By removing some fruits you will allow the remaining fruit to improve in size and quality, more light will be able to penetrate to improve ripening, the chances of pests and diseases spreading is reduced and you may save some branches from breaking with the weight.

Aim to leave developing fruits 10-15cm apart along the stems.