Monty Don's urgent advice for fruit trees in your garden this summer

Summer brings out the finest aspects of nature with British gardens and the wider countryside truly flourishing. However, there is one important job that must not be overlooked.

As daylight hours extend and brighten, fruit trees are yielding abundant produce with one telltale sign that intervention is needed. According to Monty Don, fruit trees require attention particularly during June and July as they begin shedding numerous small fruits. If you notice an apple or pear tree dropping excessive amounts of fruit onto the ground, it may cause concern.

Don't be alarmed. Monty Don confirms this is perfectly normal and describes it as the familiar June Drop. He clarifies that this is simply the tree reducing its load as it strives to successfully mature the remaining fruit. However, he points out that the tree doesn't distinguish between which fruit it releases, meaning it may drop fruit that isn't yet ready to fall.

The most effective approach is to carefully remove the smallest fruit from the tree during this period, before the tree does it naturally. By limiting each spur to just two fruits per cluster, you are more likely to achieve optimal results. Monty Don recommends ensuring these two fruits aren't in contact with one another, allowing them to develop and ripen far more effectively while also preventing branch damage from excessive weight.

When cultivating your own fruit, quality should always take precedence over quantity. As Monty Don writes, "You can always buy average apples but if you grow them yourself then you should always aim for them to be as good as possible."

The gardening expert also advises allowing grass to grow tall rather than mowing it. He notes that "This looks beautiful and is so much better for insects and all forms of wildlife than a neatly mown lawn." He suggests nothing should be trimmed until after the summer solstice on June 21, as mowing can enhance growth performance the following year.