VEGETABLE PATCH : Before morning is over, make the most of a brief fruit day to harvest any tomatoes and courgettes that are ready — pick them firm and full-coloured for the best shelf life. Once the sign shifts around mid-morning, the day turns firmly into a root day: a fine opportunity to work the soil in beds earmarked for autumn root crops. Loosen the ground to at least 25 cm with a fork, breaking up any compaction, then rake in a layer of mature compost — roots need a loose, stone-free run to develop cleanly without forking. If you have onion sets or shallot bulbs ready to go in for an autumn harvest, settle them now at soil level, 15 cm apart in rows 25 cm apart — firm contact with the soil matters more than depth here.
ORCHARD : Wisteria has been putting out long summer shoots — August is exactly the right moment to cut those back to five leaves from the base, keeping the framework tidy and encouraging next year’s flowering spurs to form. Work along each lateral methodically; a second, shorter pruning in winter will complete the job.
LANDSCAPING : Strawberry runners that have rooted into small pots are ready to go out into a prepared bed — set each plant 30 cm apart with the crown sitting precisely at soil level, then water in gently and mulch around the base with a 4 cm layer of straw to keep moisture in through the remaining summer heat. Lavender that has just finished flowering will appreciate a light trim now: remove the spent flower stems without cutting back into old wood, which keeps the plant compact and long-lived.