What to do in the garden in June:

Flaming June and the garden is really starting to get into its stride – in fact you may have to speed up to keep up with it! Here are a few of the jobs you can be getting on with this month.

General tasks:

• Tackle perennial weeds as soon as they appear, forking out bindweed, couch grass and ground elder by the roots.
• Lay leaky hosepipes around the feet of your plants and link to the tap via a timer for automated watering that delivers water just where you need it

Ornamental garden:

• Dry lavender flowers, hanging up in bunches somewhere cool and breezy, for using in flavourings and scented bags
• Dead head sweet peas to keep the display at full throttle – the more you pick, the more blooms your plants produce
• Give early-flowering perennials a haircut: cutting them back once flowering is over will often encourage a second flush

Kitchen garden:

• Allow a few radishes to mature, flower and set seed – you’ll find the immature green seedpods have a delicious peppery crunch
• Protect carrots against carrot fly with barriers of horticultural fleece around each row
• Sow annual herbs like basil, chervil and dill regularly to ensure a continuous supply