August
In The Flower Garden This August
Water evergreen shrubs like camellias and rhododendrons thoroughly this month to make sure next year’s buds develop well.
Keep patio container plants well watered and feed with a liquid fertiliser every fortnight.
Prune all summer flowering shrubs, such as climbing hydrangeas, once the blooms are finished.
Dead-head annual bedding plants and perennials to encourage them to flower into autumn and stop them self-seeding.
Mow meadows now to help scatter established wildflower seeds.
Cut back faded perennials to keep borders tidy.
Prune wisteria after flowering by removing all whippy side-shoots from the main branch framework to about 20cm from their base.
Trim lavender plants after they’ve finished flowering to keep them compact.
Look out for symptoms of ‘clematis wilt’ including black discolouration on the leaves and stem of your clematis. Cut out any infected plant material and dispose of it in your household waste.
Top Tip:
Stake tall or top-heavy dahlias and lilies to prevent wind and rain danage. Dead-head lilies for a better flower display 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.
