Cuttings

Continue taking summer cuttings of fuchsias, pelargoniums and tender perennials. These root quickly at this time of year, forming sturdy young plants that will successfully overwinter on a bedroom windowsill. Many houseplants, including coleus and African violets, can also be propagated from cuttings now.

Pests

Watch out for ants nesting in patio pots, where they can disturb root growth and reduce a plant's performance. Standing pots in a large saucer of water helps deter them from settling in.

Vine weevil

Vine weevil is a particular problem in greenhouses and patio pots. Now is a good time to treat compost with biological pest control nematodes, which search out and kill weevil larvae. They can also be applied to the soil around attacked plants.

Holiday watering

If you cannot get a friend or neighbour to water your patio pots and baskets while you are away, there are several things you can do to help prevent plants drying out. Move any baskets and containers out of full sun to a position where they are shaded at the height of the day. Stand terracotta pots on gravel trays topped up with water, so the pots can gradually absorb the reservoir of liquid. You can also install an automatic trickle watering system on an outside tap, which is controlled by a timer and will turn water on and off each day.

Lawns

To achieve a fine finish, cut your lawns more than once a week. Spot treat and dig out weeds, filling holes with gritty compost, and rake a little grass seed into bare patches if necessary. In hot, dry weather, keep grass longer by setting the mower blades higher.

Weeds

Hoe weeds out of gravel paths, then carefully apply a residual path weedkiller to keep the area weed-free.

Cleaning

Scrub out empty water-butts to remove any grime and dirt trapped at the bottom.

Pond care

Top up the sunken water-levels in garden ponds.

Autumn bulbs

Order bulbs from mail-order suppliers for autumn planting.

Trim hedges

Trim hedges, especially hedging conifers that can become tall and annoy neighbours. Be considerate, and cut their tops down to 3m (10ft) at a maximum.

Watering pots

Water patio pots and baskets thoroughly at least once a day to ensure the compost never dries out completely. Small terracotta pots dry out quicker than larger plastic ones and when the compost gets bone dry, any water just runs straight through it. To re-wet the pot or basket, submerge it in water and leave it to soak for a few hours, ideally in a bowl, bath or water-butt. Even if it rains, pots often remain dry as they stand in the rain shadow of a house and their foliage acts as an umbrella.