Jo Whittingham: My toddler has picked and demolished the raspberries with gusto

Following this year’s distinct lack of summer, autumn is not a word I’m ready to hear yet. Fortunately there isn’t time to think about misty mornings and nights drawing in, because the garden has made a surge of late summer growth, which has me busy harvesting, deadheading and enjoying the glorious flush of colour.

On sunny days the front garden literally buzzes with bees and butterflies visiting the flat, raspberry-red heads of Sedum “Autumn Joy” and the clouds of lavender daisies produced by Aster x frikartii “Monch”. Having worried about them during the wet months, seeing so many insects makes it a real pleasure to be out weeding and removing spent flowerheads to prolong the display. Later in the month I’ll also begin lifting and dividing perennials that have outgrown their space as they start to die down. Teasing them into sections with plenty of healthy young shoots and roots, which can then be replanted, is a good opportunity to rearrange some of the border and plan combinations of spring bulbs that can be added during autumn too.

It’s not surprising that fungal infections have been particularly bad this year, spread to the leaves of many plants by the rain. The blackspot on my roses is the worst I’ve ever seen, the mahonia lost many of its leaves to rust, and my broad beans had a terrible case of chocolate spot. The shrubs will bounce back and I still got a tasty crop of beans, but it’s a good idea to rake up fallen leaves along with other diseased plant material to help prevent infection next year. Burn or dispose of this waste rather than composting it, as small heaps won’t get hot enough to kill the fungi.

Although all the vegetables are really late this year, there are finally good pickings of French beans, courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes and summer-sprouting broccoli to be had. If the sun shines I may even get a few peppers. There is also a surprising number of berries on the raspberries that were only planted back in February, which my toddler has picked and demolished with gusto. The apples and pears are not quite such a success story, after failing to set much fruit from sodden blossom. Make sure you don’t waste any tree fruit that ripens this month and pick it as soon as it comes away in your hand with a gentle twist. What better reward could a hardworking gardener have?