Greenhouse Calendar

It's hot in the greenhouse in July so it is important to keep it well ventilated and to keep up with the watering. Try not to let compost in pots dry out or it can damage your plant roots. Use watering trays and automatic irrigation to keep your plants watered if you are away, or employ a neighbour or friend to keep an eye on things for you.

[] Keep a watch out for greenhouse pests and diseases and act fast if you see any. If you can get to grips with small infestations quickly they may not develop into bigger problems.

[] Harvest tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and other greenhouse crops as soon as they are ready to ensure a continuous supply.

[] Tie in and support tomato plants as they develop, especially as fruit starts to swell or they will quickly topple over and be damaged.

[] Feed tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and other fruiting plants with Tomato Plant Food or Organic Tomato and Vegetable Food for great results.

[] Don't allow tomato plants to dry out. Stress, inconsistent watering and a lack of calcium can lead to split fruits and Blossom End Rot. Feed with Tomato Food, which contains vital trace elements to reduce the risk of this disfiguring disease.

[] Harvest developing crops in the greenhouse as soon as they are ready, this will encourage a constant supply and also improve the quality of the crop.

[] When tomato plants have five trusses of fruit developing, pinch out the tip of the plant to divert energy into these fruits.

[] Pinch out the plant tips of cucumbers and melons.

[] Sow a row of autumn cropping peas and sugar peas into guttering ready to plant out in the garden. Remember that by the autumn the plants may need protection from early frosts. Choose a variety that shows good mildew resistance as late sowings can be affected by this disease in hot and dry summers.

[] Take semi ripe cuttings from shrubs and roses. Choose stems that have started to ripen but are not woody and tough. Good plants to propagate at this time include Hebes, Rosemary, Weigela, Hydrangea, Pieris, Buddleia and Pyracantha. You can take heel cuttings by pulling short side shoots away from the main stem with a heel of bark still attached. Trim off any excess bark, pinch out the growing tip and remove the basal leaves. Push individual cuttings into a quality cuttings compost. Alternatively take tip cuttings by choosing healthy shoots and removing the top 15cm (6inches) of growth. Pinch out the growing tip and trim the base of the cutting immediately below a leaf joint, to leave a cutting that is about 5-8cm (2-3inches) long. Remove the bottom leaves and push the bottom of the stem into a pot of good cuttings compost. Cover with a plastic bag tied around the pot and place into a cold frame or in a shady corner of the greenhouse.

[] When your houseplants are growing strongly and are in good health, it's the ideal time to take cuttings and propagate them. Many foliage houseplants can be easily and successfully divided by splitting up the rootstock. Divide plants such as ferns and Sansevieria.

[] Take leaf cuttings of Peperomias, African violets, Gloxinia, Sedum, Crassula, Streptocarpus, Sansevieria and Begonia Rex. Plant healthy leaves gritty cutting compost. Ensure that the compost is well drained and gives good contact with the plant leaves to encourage quick and healthy rooting. New young plants will form at the base of the leaves.

[] Take softwood, tip cuttings from plants such as Coleus. Choose plants that are brightly coloured, as the offspring will be identical to the parent plant. Cut 5-10cm (2-4inch) stems and root them in pots filled with quality cutting compost, on a warm windowsill.

[] Collect seed from cacti plants that have flowered and sow them in John Innes Seed Compost. Alternatively store the seed somewhere cool and dry and sow in the spring.

[] Keep orchid plants shaded in hot sunny weather.

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