Originally I was going to have a photographer friend of mine take her photos but a few things happened and I ended up taking the photos. I’m really happy with the way her watermelon cake smash turned out really cute.

B-Nine at 2500 ppm or Sumagic at 5 ppm works well to control overall height. Sumagic applied as a drench at 1 ppm works also works well. Keep plugs moist until they are ready to transplant. Just before transplanting, make sure the plugs are well watered. Once they have been transplanted and are actively growing, it is important that they are not overwatered. Overwatering may result in plants that grow more slowly in containers and are more susceptible to disease. Plants should never be allowed to sit in excess water. Using a bread knife, carve the bottom 2 sponge layers into the curve of a watermelon. Spread half the white buttercream over the whole cake. Chill for 15 minutes, then spread over the remaining buttercream to make a smooth and even top layer. Chill until very firm. Apply 100-200 N ppm of a standard water soluble fertilizer every 7-14 days once plants begin growing. Echinacea DO NOT like to be over fertilized when growing in containers. This often leads to increased incidences of crown and root rots and a general decline in plant vigor. Use slightly acidic soil with an EC of 1.0-2.6 using the pour through method for best results. When choosing what to grow, it’s worth looking for varieties with an RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), which shows they performed well in trials – see our list of AGM fruit and veg.

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My family LOVES cake - but mostly buttery yellow cake or moist chocolate cake! But there are just times that you need a white vanilla cake. This is my go-to recipe for the most perfect White Cake - taste-tested, family approved and perfect every time! With sweet vanilla flavor and a touch of pure almond extract, it will remind you of your favorite birthday cake or wedding cake. If you have a greenhouse or polytunnel, you’ll have a wider choice of varieties, both cantaloupes and honeydews.

Father’s Day is coming up and while it can be difficult to figure out what colour of tie to get for Dad for Father’s Day, a hand made card is always going to be a hit. ThisDIY Father’s Day Watermelon Card is the perfect way to show Dad that he is ONE IN A MELON! So punny, just like Dad! Mix about half the red food colouring with 2 tablespoons of the syrup, then stir in a few tablespoons of the sponge batter. Add this to the rest of the batter and combine until there are no streaks.

Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4. Beat the margarine and sugar in a mixer until light and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a tablespoon of the flour with each of the last 4 pours of egg. Fold in the rest of the flour with a large metal spoon, followed by two thirds of the chocolate chips. One of the highlights of this party was the drink table for all grownups. In keeping with the melon theme, there’s a simple yet cute watermelon banner on the table. If you want to replicate this, just put some bottles, a bowl of fresh fruits and a vase with flowers on display, then you’re all set! Because night interruption lighting will cause plants to stretch, make your first growth regulator applications before lighting begins and apply again two weeks after lighting begins. Discontinue lighting once the plants begin to grow. Make the white buttercream. Beat the butter in a bowl until creamy, then gradually beat in the icing sugar, then the syrup. Cover and set aside. Repeat for the red buttercream, adding about one eighth of a teaspoon of red colouring. Cover and set aside. PREPARE SIMPLE SYRUP: While cakes are baking, prepare simple syrup. Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar granules completely dissolve. Remove from heat, stir in watermelon extract and cool to room temperature.

DECORATE CAKE: Place green cake layer in platter – frost top lightly and sprinkle with 1/3 mini chocolate chips; place second layer on top – frost top and sprinkle with 1/3 mini chocolate chips; place third layer – frost top and sprinkle with remaining 1/3 mini chocolate chips; top with fourth layer. Even though this 6-inch cake is smaller than a typical 9 or 10 inch layer cake, I recommend placing a 7 to 8-inch long wooden dowel or large straw into the center of the cake to stabilize it (size depends on the total height of your cake!)Make the fondant. Put 30ml of water into a heatproof bowl and sprinkle over the gelatine. Leave to soak for 5 minutes, or until the mixture looks spongy, then set the bowl onto a pan of very hot water and leave for a few minutes, until the gelatine is smooth. Remove the bowl before the mixture gets hot, and stir in the glycerine and glucose. I painted the watermelon ONE letters last minute. Considering I am not very artistic I think they turned out pretty cute. Remove cake from fridge 10 minutes before you want to serve. The cake will slice up much cleaner this way.