Every month, we offer tips and hints for the budding gardener - what to do, how do we do it, when to do it - to give you that little bit of extra help everyone needs. Our resident gardening expert, Jim Smith from West Sound Radio, will advise on what needs to be done now, and what preparation is required for what you will need to do soon.

By following our advice, based on over 40 years in the horticulture business, you should find not only your fingers, but your neighbours, turning green!

It's as easy as A, B, C and best of all it's FREE!

This month's tips - July

	Pay particular attention to watering and feeding of tomato plants in growing bags. Drying out could cause Blossom-End Rot.
	Take cuttings of herbaceous perennials.
	Continue to deadhead regularly - all bedding plants will benefit as well as herbaceous plants.
	Feed slow release fertiliser such as Osmocote to prevent plants going hungry.
	Plants which produce one main flowering stem such as Lupins or Antirrhinums can be encouraged to flower again by removing this stem after flowering.
	A useful method is to propagate Border Carnations by layering from established plants - choose strong, vigorous shoots, slit at leaf join and peg down into prepared soil. (Make sure the soil doesn't dry out)
	Continue to water, feed and deadhead plants in containers and baskets.
	Strawberries and Raspberries will be ripening, so remember to pick all ripe fruit, even if there is more than you want at the time. Most soft fruit can be frozen.
	Pot on cuttings of Fuchsias taken last month - keep them outside and prevent them from flowering by continually pinching off the flower buds.
	When Strawberry plants have finished fruiting, cut off the leaves, stalks and runners from those you are keeping. (This will help to control pests and diseases)
	Winter-Flowering Heathers are best propagated from cuttings - take cuttings with a ''heel'' from this year's growth.
	To control the Raspberry Beetle, spray with Fenitrothion or dust with Derris when the first fruits are turning pink.
	Sweet peas will benefit from a liquid feed high in potash every fortnight during July.
	Clumps of herbaceous plants often produce more stems than the roots can sustain through the summer. Phlox, delphiniums and Asters will bear more impressive flowers on stronger stems if about half the shoots are thinned out - cut the thinnest shoots to ground level, leaving the best evenly spaced.
	Treat gravel paths with a residual weedkiller to keep them free of weeds throughout the season. Provided the weedkiller is allowed to dry for a few hours it will be perfectly safe for pets as the smell will keep them away.
	Protect your Cabbages and Cauliflowers from attacks by the Cabbage Root Fly by using brassica collars - this will prevent the female fly getting near the plant to lay eggs.

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