What to do in the garden in August!
The last month of summer and the garden and veg plot are still at their best. There is time to sow quick growing salad crops such as Lettuce, Rocket and radish. There’s lots of pruning, deadheading and harvesting to be done in August. You can also start preparing for the autumn veg patch and start to sow flowers for next spring.
- At this time of year, watering is key. Keep on top of this daily, making sure you water in the morning or late afternoon-evening to prevent the heat evaporating all the water before it reaches the plant roots.
- Continue mowing but reduce frequency and raise blades if the weather is hot and dry. Keep watering new lawns; established lawns will soon recover when it rains.
- Mow wild flower anytime now. Even orchids and yellow rattle have ripened and dropped their seed. Leave what you’ve cut for a couple of days to dry and drop any seed, then rake up hay and remove it. Low fertility is key to success, so never mulch with grass clippings.
- Now is the time to look at your borders and note any gaps/congestion that you’ll want to rectify later in the season when everything has gone over, ahead of next year.
- Order your spring flowering bulbs now. Stock of popular varieties may not be available later in the season. You can start planting bulbs such as narcissi, alliums and hyacinths from September. Order autumn stock of perennials to get them settled before the winter
