With the wetter weather over the last few months, new and established plants will begin to show the signs of root distress. Wood and bark chippings, mushroom compost, grass clippings can all be used as mulches to retain moisture around trees and shrubs. If the thought of moving all that organic matter gives you panic attacks, then consider installing a micro-drip system around the garden. There are quite a few systems on the market which are very affordable, they can be fully automated using only the outside tap from your normal water supply - all manner of drip nozzles and sprayers for trees, shrubs, bedding and greenhouses are available. Most good garden centres will stock them.

Greenhouses should have shading on the glass or the use of a blind inside - if not already done. Hosing down in the early morning will help to create a microclimate and reduce transpiration of the plants within the greenhouse. Try to keep watering regularly to prevent splitting or blossom end rot of tomatoes. Remove male flowers on cucumbers (flowers with no fruit behind them) - this will ensure there is no bitterness in the remaining fruits. Inter-planting of French Marigolds within the greenhouse will help to attract hover flies that feed on whitefly.

Many shrubs that have either recently flowered or are flowering, can be successfully pruned to ensure that they flower next year. This also keeps them under control and ensures regular flowering while retaining the shape and size of the shrub. Another method to retain size is to constantly reduce new shoots as they emerge throughout the growing period. Early flowering shrubs that have finished flowering such as Forsythia, Weigela and Deutzia will require removal of the old flowering growth to ensure it flowers next year. Hellebore and Euphorbias will be ready to have the old flowering stems removed. The Hellebore flowers can be left if you want to harvest some seed for new sowings. Euphorbias contain a sap that is an irritant so take care when pruning - wear gloves!!

Bearded Iris can be split when they have finished flowering to ensure continued flowering in clump form. If left, all the flowering will (in time) be on the outside and a hole will appear in the centre.

Summer Chrysanthemums will need new shoots pinching out at 6', continued pinching out will ensure a multitude of flowers. Deadheading, like all flowering plants will ensure flowering well into the autumn. Don't forget to feed though, along with all the summer bedding - tomato food or any high potash feed is ideal.

Climbing and rambling Roses will need to be tied in if they are to be trained. It will also encourage them to produce flowers. A handful of proprietary rose food around the base is essential each month while flowering. Deadheading will encourage a continued development of flowers. A regular spraying of an insecticide/fungicide which will help to keep mildew and black spot at bay they are likely to be rife with the ensuing weather conditions. These will have to be sprayed as preventatives not a cure.

The new shoots on broad beans will be prime for attack by blackfly, so spray early to protect them.

Fruit trees may begin to drop their fruits if the hot weather continues. This is nature's way of protecting the tree, and in many cases avoids the tree from over cropping. Set codling moth traps in the tree, and as the fruits set, be prepared to remove further fruit from the cluster.

Strawberries will start to throw out runners and these are best restricted to two per plant and placed into separate pots for growing on later. Further runners are best removed from the plant completely. Get ready with the straw or mats for putting under the emerging fruit.

Bedding plants in troughs, containers and baskets will always benefit from regular feeds. The best way is to insert food sticks or capsules. Osmocote and Phostrogen both produce a range of time release foods of varying sizes dependant on the size of container to feed. They will last for most of the season.

Weeds, regardless of weather, always seem to thrive. Picking out weeds as you see them will always reduce the number prevalent in the garden. Ground elder and bindweed are by far the most persistent weeds to control, usually because they are entwined with other plants. The only chemical that will successfully control these two is glyphosphate (sold as 'Round-up') in various formulations. One trick to help is a plastic lemonade bottle. Cut the bottom off and place over the weed and spray through the neck or conversely cover the plant and spray the weeds around it.

Another method for bindweed control is to place a long stick in amongst it and allow the bindweed to spiral up. The leaves can then be painted with Round-up and this will eventually kill it. Do not spray as the resultant spray-drift will kill surrounding plants as Round-up is non-selective and will damage plants when the solution touches the leaves. Light hoeing will ensure the annual/ephemeral weeds don't get a chance to flower and disperse yet more weeds.

Weedol is probably the most well known and has been around for years. This contains paraquat and diquat. It specifically designed to control light annual and ephemeral weeds on driveways, paths and soil borders. These weeds will have a small root system and also die if you were to snap the stem. What it will not kill are those weeds with any form of taproot, dandelion, thistle, dock etc. Weedol is a purely contact weedkiller that affects anything green. It also breaks down immediately it hits the soil and becomes ineffective. It will 'burn' other types of weeds, but do little else.

Pathclear contains both paraquat, diquat and simazine. This is specifically, as the names suggests for using on drives and pathways. It creates a lacquer over the ground to burn the tips of emerging weeds and therefore thwarts their establishment. It also has a slightly wider range of controlled weeds due to the simazine.

Glyphosphate has been the new baby as far as weedkillers are concerned. It works differently in the fact that it travels within the weed to destroy the root system of the weed. Ideal for deep-rooted weeds or where re-emergence of the weed from an established root system is likely after a contact weedkiller has been used. i.e. in the case of nettles, ground elder, couch grass. This also breaks down on contact with the soil. It will kill annual and perennial weeds, however because of the cost it is best used on problem areas and not as a general do-it all weedkiller.

Happy Gardening,