August
In The Flower Garden This August
Water evergreen shrubs like camellias and rhododendrons thoroghly this month to make sure that next year’s buds develop well.
Dead-head annual bedding plants and perennials to encourage them to flower into the autumn and stop them self-seeding.
Keep patio container plants well watered and feed with a liquid fertiliser every fortnight.
Prune wisteria after flowering by removing all the whippy side-shoots from the main branch framework to about 20cm from their base (about five leaves from the main stem).
Finish dividing clumps of bearded Iris now so they have time to form roots and flowers buds for next year before the cold weather arrives.
Cut back faded perennials to keep borders tidy.
Prune climbing roses and rambling roses once they’ve finished flowering.
Spray ground elder and other perennial weeds with a glyphosate-based weedkiller, the plants now have plenty of leaf surface area with which to abdorb it.
Trim any lavender plants after they’ve finished flowering to keep them compact.
Top Tip:
Stake tall or top-heavy dahlias and lilies to prevent wind and rain damage. Dead-head lilies for a better flower dispay next year.
This Month's Key Tips
- Deadhead flowering plants regularly.
- Keep onds and water features topped up.
- Watering - particularly containers and new plants, preferably with recycled water or stored rainwater.
- Harvest vegetable regularly as they become ready to promote new growth.
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