GINA PARKINSON looks ahead to getting back into the garden and all those summer jobs.

It is July, the sky is grey and heavy with rain that is falling relentlessly. However I am told the weather maps are indicating that sun is on its way so perhaps by the time this appears in the paper we will be outside enjoying our summer gardens and getting on with a few jobs.

Shrubs and climbers can be propagated this month from semi ripe cuttings, which are shoots that have grown this year and haven't yet become woody.

Take plenty to allow for any failures and trim each one just below a leaf joint so the cutting is about 10cm long.

Ideally they should be trimmed and planted straight away but if this isn't possible, keep them in a plastic bag out of sunlight.

Take off side shoots and flower buds and cut large leaves in half to reduce water loss. Dip the trimmed ends in rooting hormone powder or liquid and plant around the edge of a pot filled with an equal mix of multipurpose compost and perlite, coarse grit or sharp sand. This will provide a light growing medium that won't get water logged and will allow the new roots to move through it easily.

Put the pots in a propagator or cover with polythene and keep on a cool windowsill out of direct sun.

Keep on top of deadheading plants like roses (apart from those grown for ornamental hips), lupins, dahlias and annuals like cosmos, pelargoniums and french marigold to encourage a continual succession of blooms and to keep the plants looking neat.

Pick sweet peas as soon as the flower stems are long enough because flowering will deteriorate very quickly once they are allowed to set seed. Look out for bedding plants being sold off cheap and buy a few specimens to pot up and grow on. Busy lizzies, fuchsias, pelargoniums, cosmos and petunia will all provide colour until late summer and can be used to fill gaps left by perennials as they finish blooming.

Updated: 09:15 Saturday, July 05, 2003