Thin this
The June drop is a fruit tree’s way of jettisoning excess immature fruit that it won’t have the resources to support to maturity. But trees can still benefit from further thinning by hand, or fruit can be disappointingly small. Reduce clusters of pears, plums and apples by removing all but the biggest, finest fruitlets – one or two per cluster. It’s painful, but worth it in the long run.
Read this
If you know a poblano from a bird’s eye, but want to take your chilli knowledge a few more steps up the Scoville scale, check out the new book 101 Chillies To Try Before You Die, by David Floyd (£10, Cassell).
Plant this
When all else fades by autumn, asters come into their own. Semi-trailing heath aster ‘Schneetanne’ is brilliant for ground cover in banks and borders. It’s a butterfly magnet, too, so a great choice for a wildlife garden. Height and spread: 50cm x 1m. Buy a one-litre potted plant for £9.99, or two for £16.99 (plus £4.95 p&p per order). To order, call 0330 333 6790, quoting ref GU549, or go to our Readers’ Offers page. Dispatched within four to six weeks.
