Pat’s 10 jobs for June 2025

1. Plant out Dahlias in a sunny spot in fertile soil adding some compost to the planting hole. I have to surround mine with Strulch on my allotment to protect them from the hundreds of slugs and snails lurking all around.

2. Take softwood cuttings now of Anthemis, Salvia, Verbena, Penstemon and Fuchsia. Cut below a leaf node and dibble around the edge of a pot. Salvias will also grow fine roots in water to give them a head start.

3. Look out for hellebore seedlings around the base of your favourite plant. The resulting plants may not resemble the parent but they could be even better.

4. Take cuttings of Dianthus by pulling a shoot at the base of a stem called a slip and potting up in a gritty compost mix. Keep out of direct sun until they get going.

5. Cut oriental poppies hard back to the ground after flowering has finished and they should produce fresh foliage.

6. Tie in climbing and rambling roses by tying stems horizontally so they send out side shoots for more flowers.

7. Plant out seed-raised runner and French beans before they get too leggy like mine have, and refuse to climb up their supports.

8. Plant out tomato plants either in the ground or in the greenhouse and attach to canes, after removing any side shoots on cordon grown varieties.

9. Thin out apples on trees after the June drop to get better and larger fruit.

10. Look out for ladybirds and their larvae on broad beans which are affected by black fly. There seem to be loads this year after being scarce for a number of years.

Happy gardening all!

Pat K