August
In The Flower Garden This August
Prune all summer flowering shrubs, such as climbing hydrangeas, once the blooms are finished.
Keep patio container plants well watered and feed with a liquid fertiliser every fortnight.
Stake tall or top-heavy dahlias and lilies to prevent wind and rain damage. Dead-head lilies for better flower display next year.
Water evergreen shrubs like camellias and rhododendrons thoroughly this month to make sure that next year’s buds develop well.
Cut back faded perennials to keep borders tidy.
Dead-head annual bedding plants and perennials to encourage them to flower into autumn and stop them self-seeding.
Trim any lavender plants after they’ve finished flowering to keep them compact.
Top Tip:
Take cuttings of your favourite tender perennials such as pelargoniums and fuchsia to propagate them for next year.
This Month's Key Tips
- Deadhead flowering plants regularly.
- Keep ponds and water features topped up.
- Watering - particularly containers and new plants, preferably with recycled water or stored rainwater.
- Harvest vegetables regularly as they become ready to promote new growth.
