Gardening Jobs of the Week

Never cut too far back into old wood, as new growth rarely sprouts from it.

Bushes need replacing every six or seven years when they become loose and leggy.

Take summer prunings to make new stock but make sure you put them straight into a plastic bag to keep them moist.

Trim them to 15cm (6in), making a clean cut just below a leaf joint. Remove the lowest pair of leaves, and the tip, then insert the cutting around the edge of a four inch pot filled with gritty compost, so they are not touching each other, and the leaves are not in touch with the soil.

Water once, then keep the cuttings in  a greenhouse or cover the pot with a clear plastic bag secured with an elastic band and place on a window sill out of direct sunlight.

When small white roots start appearing out of the bottom of the pot, it’s time to transplant into individual pots to grow on.