Lift and divide bearded irises

Bringing order from chaos is fundamental to gardening, especially after the summer holidays, so get stuck in, says Joe Swift

I ‘summer pruned’ my apples and pears in July and they have started to send out shoots -should I remove them? Summer pruning is somewhat tricky, especially in a summer like this. The rather broad advi

I need to get a move on with all those late-season jobs!

Mimic their natural behaviour and get them going now to flower in spring

September is a sweet spot for gardeners. There might not be the frenzied burst of activity you see in spring or the bold drama of midsummer in full bloom, says Martyn Cox , but there’s plenty to do before the colder months come round

HOW TO GET GREENER...