In The Fruit Garden This August

August is one of the most rewarding months in the fruit garden — it’s peak harvest time, but there’s still lots to do to keep fruit plants healthy and productive. Here are the top tips for your fruit garden in August:

🍓 1. Harvest at Peak Ripeness 

• Pick fruit regularly to prevent wasp damage and rot.

What to harvest now: 

• Apples (early varieties), pears 

• Plums, gages, damsons 

• Blackberries, blueberries, autumn raspberries 

• Figs (if ripe), currants 

🐝 2. Protect Ripe Fruit 

• Net fruit trees and bushes to keep birds and wasps away. 

• Use wasp traps near plum trees and grapevines. 

• Remove fallen or rotting fruit to deter pests and disease. 

✂️ 3. Summer Prune Fruit Trees 

• Espalier, cordon, and fan-trained apples and pears should be pruned now.

• Cut back side shoots to 3–4 leaves from the main stem. 

• Avoid heavy pruning of large trees until winter. 

🌱 4. Feed and Mulch 

• Apply high-potash feed (like tomato feed) to fruiting plants. 

• Mulch strawberries and cane fruit (like raspberries) to retain moisture and suppress weeds. 

🍇 5. Thin and Support Fruit 

• Thin out apples and pears if they’re overcrowded – aim for one fruit every 10–15 cm. 

• Support heavily laden branches of plum and apple trees to avoid snapping. 

🧼 6. Keep the Area Clean 

• Remove fallen fruit promptly to prevent wasp infestations and fungal disease. 

• Clear up prunings and diseased leaves from around bushes and trees. 

🪴 7. Pot Up Strawberry Runners 

• Peg down or pot up healthy runners to grow new plants for next season. 

• Replace old plants (3–4 years old) to maintain vigour. 

🐛 8. Watch for Pests and Disease 

Check for: 

• Codling moth in apples (set traps early next season if needed) 

• Plum moth (early-ripening fruit should be checked for maggots) 

• Powdery mildew, especially in dry spells 

🌳 9. Water Young Trees and Bushes 

• Especially in dry spells — deep, infrequent watering is best. 
• Newly planted fruit trees need extra care in their first two years.

🍓 10. Tend to Strawberries 

• Cut back old strawberry leaves and remove runners unless you want to propagate. 

• Pot up a few strong runners to make new plants for next year.