Lift and pot up rooted strawberry runners from vigorous plants.

Water any new strawberry beds planted this season. If you have not yet planted new beds, this is really the last chance to do so, and only then in milder parts of the country. New plants need to establish before the cold sets in.

Cut out fruited canes of summer raspberries and tie in new canes that will fruit next year. Select strong, healthy canes and cut out weak, forked or misplaced ones (such as those growing out into the paths).

Blackcurrants are often pruned commercially this month (straight after harvesting), but it is better for home gardeners to wait until the leaves have fallen, and to prune the plants while dormant during the winter. Valuable time is best saved for more urgent jobs that cannot wait beyond this month.

Pick apples and blackberries for use in pies and desserts.

Pick autumn raspberries as they start to ripen.

Harvest cobnuts, hazelnuts and filberts when husks begin to yellow, but before they start dropping.

New trees can be planted once the autumn sets in and the dry weather is over. The soil will still be quite warm in September even if the weather is cool, and the roots of new plants will benefit from this. This is particularly important for peaches and nectarines. Other fruit trees may have a higher tolerance of cold at the roots, and can be planted later.

Pest & disease watch

Remove apples, pears and plums affected with brown rot to prevent the disease from spreading.

Towards the end of September, start fixing grease bands around the trunks of fruit trees in order to deter the wingless female winter moths from climbing up the trunks to lay their eggs in the branches.

Net or cage ripening fruits to protect them from birds.

Monitor yields on soft fruit crops, as older plants frequently become infected with viruses, which reduce yield. They may need replacing.

Prune out any dead, dying or diseased shoots on fruit trees that are affected by diseases such as bacterial canker, cherry leaf scorch, powdery mildew or other problems that can overwinter or continue to worsen. Avoid pruning stone fruits (e.g. cherries or plums) once they are dropping their leaves, as this can make them vulnerable to silver leaf. Peaches and apricots can be sensitive to cold, so for this reason are best pruned in spring and summer.

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