# Dahlia tubers, Gladioli corms and Tuberous Begonia tubers are all available from garden centres during the month of August, so keep an eye out for these.

# Purchase a few early seed potatoes e.g Rocket or Jersey Benne. Allow them to sprout [lie out in well light place, but not direct sun], then plant in a warm spot where you can cover when foliage appears.

# Continue to prune roses. Spray with spraying oil if you have noticed “scale” on the stems. This is often very white and rubs off. The oil will smother the scale insects and may have to be applied several times.

# Green tip on stone fruit is approaching and you will need to spray with Liquid Copper, often to prevent leaf curl, brown rot and bladder plum.

# Fertilise roses, fruit trees and citrus with their specific fertilisers for best results. Take care to keep fertiliser away from the trunks.

# Time to think about where your spring vegetables are going. A new area needs to be dug or rotary hoed now so you can add sheep pellets, compost and incorporate it all again in a couple of weeks. Cut down cover crops such as lupins and like wise dig it in after a couple of weeks or when soil is not too wet. Ready for planting in October when all those summer vegetables are available.

# A good range of roses and fruit trees is still available. Berry fruits and strawberries can be planted now and they will fruit this summer.

# Any gardening problems you can e-mail me on [email protected]