This month sees the end of Summer and the gentle switch into early Autumn. Plants start to change leaf colour, trees start to produce their seeds and berries for the Winter, and the nights are drawing in.
August is the time to start tidying up, picking fruit and pruning so everything is ready for the upcoming season. We run through the top gardening jobs for this month.
Keep those tubs watered this month. July was wet but August has so far been pretty dry and warm in comparison. Pots will continue to dry out daily so make sure you keep them well watered. And remember to not just make the top of the pot wet. Water them until the water runs out, leave it a few minutes then go back and water again. Wet compost soaks up water better than dry compost!! To save water use a watering can instead of a pipe.
Keep the pond topped up, preferably with rain water if you've managed to catch it from the rain we've had recently. You'd be surprised how quickly ponds can evaporate during a bit of sunny weather.
Deadhead flowers to keep them blooming through the month. Deadheading ensures that the plant puts all its energy into healthy growth rather than dead growth, meaning a healthy plant ready for next season, and more flowers!
Collect seeds from flowers that are finished like sweet peas and aquilegia. Lay them out on a piece of tissue someone dry and warm for a week. Once they are dried out they can be stored in a paper envelope or bag ready for sowing.
Prune lavender and rosemary, removing any old flowering stems (make sure you don't cut into the old wood). Use any Rosemary in cooking and use lavender to fragrance your home
Take softwood cuttings ready for next year and plant any annual seeds ready for spring
Plant autumn bulbs like crocus and snowdrops
Cut back any damaged stems from the recent windy weather. Plants will keep on supplying energy to these damaged parts rather than putting its energy into healthy growth.
Continue to feed your tubs and houseplants through until October, particularly if its hot weather as plants will continue to put out growth if it’s warm.
Watch out for pests and diseases like powdery mildew. Wet and warmth together provide perfect breeding grounds for these types of diseases which spread quickly.
Start harvesting any fruits like blackberries. Picking keeps them producing! Wash them - leave them to dry and then freeze them ready for yummy pies in Autumn and Winter.
Keep leaving out food and water for the wildlife - birds still need fat to build up their reserves for winter, hedgehogs are still out and about and need to eat a lot ready for hibernating, and foxes and other wildlife will still need access to water.
