Bulbs and Herbaceous Plants.
Stake tall or floppy plants. Plant out summer bedding and seed-raised plants, if not already done so. Make sure they are well watered in and keep moist during dry weather.
Thin out direct sowings of hardy annuals. This is best done in two or three stages at fortnightly intervals. Final spacing should be between 10-20cm (4-8in).
It is not too late to direct sow a few fast growing, late-flowering hardy annuals such as Calendula, Godetia and Clarkia. Perennials such as Actaea (hollyhock). Stake tall perennials to prevent wind damage to flower spikes.
Cut back dead bulb foliage if not done already. It is important to wait until the foliage dies down naturally, as cutting back too early can lead to a no flowering plant next year. Gaps in herbaceous borders are best filled with annual bedding. Cut back clumps of spring-flowering perennials such as Helleborus, Pulmonaria and Doronicum . Plants will stay more compact and will flower better next year.
Roses
Check roses for signs of blackspot, aphids and leaf-rolling sawfly damage. Dead head, Remove weeds, water during dry spells. Control weeds to prevent them competing for moisture and nutrients. Keep an eye out for early aphid attacks, and deal with them appropriately, either by squashing small colonies, or by using pesticides on larger infestations.
In the Vegetable and Fruit Garden
Hoe borders regularly to keep down weeds, don’t let weeds flower.
Stake tall or floppy plants. Pull out raspberry suckers appearing between the rows. Water tree, bush and cane fruit thoroughly every seven to 10 days during dry spells. Put straw around strawberry plants to prevent soil splashing on to the fruit.
Any strawberry crops previously kept under glass, fleece or cloches, should now be uncovered (or the greenhouse doors opened fully), to allow access for pollinating insects.
Tie-in the new canes of blackberry and other hybrid berries to prevent wind damage. Control weeds to prevent them competing for moisture and nutrients.
Early peas may be ready for harvest. Cut off the tops of the plants, leaving the roots in the ground to conserve valuable nutrients to the soil. Harvest salad onions, salad leaves, beetroot and radishes as they mature.
Continue with successional sowing of salad crops, beetroot, Chinese cabbage, pak choi and radish. In hot weather, leafy salad crops may do better when sown in partially shady sites. Over wintered Japanese onions can be harvested when the tops start to fall over. Early potatoes may begin to be ready for harvesting.
On the Lawn
Regularly mow lawns to keep them in shape - removing 'little and often' is the key to a good quality sward. Add grass clippings to the compost heap in thin layers. Apply a high nitrogen summer lawn fertiliser if not done last month to encourage a healthy-looking lawn. Move garden furniture and other objects regularly to allow grass to recover and prevent yellow patches.
Those gardeners in areas with a hosepipe ban or drought order will need to check with their local water company to see if using hosepipes to siphon off stored rain water is permitted under their interpretation of the ban.
In the Glasshouse and Conservatory
Water plants regularly and keep a check for unwanted insects. Pot up houseplants showing signs of being root bound and topdress large containers with fresh compost.
Use rain, grey or recycled water wherever possible. Harden off half-hardy bedding plants that were started off under cover.
Try growing on plug plants in your glasshouse. They are a relatively cheap source of large numbers of plants, and can be ordered and grown on quickly if you didn’t get round to sowing seed in good time earlier this season.
Ponds
Tidy up plants in the bog garden. Thin out, cut back or divide excessive new growth on aquatic plants. Keep ponds and water features topped up. Clean out pond filters.
Once new plantings have established, you can start to stock new fishponds with fish. Start stocking and feeding when the water is warm. Feeding fish little and often is best.
Cover or use safety grills on ponds in gardens where young children play.
Small plants in baskets can be raised up on bricks when first introduced then slowly lowered to the bottom of the pond as they increase in size.
Flower border/Patio area
Position summer hanging baskets and containers outside.
Plant out summer bedding. Water plants regularly and keep a check for unwanted insects
The Compost Heap
Compost all green waste. Keep moist using collected rain water
Recycling
Paper, Cardboard, Glass Bottles and Jars, Plastic, all Green Waste including Vegetable peelings and left-overs.
There are many recycling points throughout Glasgow where clothes, shoes, furniture, rubble, electrical goods etc can be disposed of without charge.
Use recycled products/materials where possible.
Collect rainwater and investigate ways to recycle water for irrigation.
Be water wise, especially in during long dry spells.