Jobs to do in August in the garden
August is another month marked by the summer heat so be prepared to water the garden regularly and prepare the garden if you are taking vacations this month.
If you are staying home, enjoy your outdoor space and don’t forget some jobs to do in August in the garden.
Water and feed the garden
Watering the plants is very important during summer time. Pay particular attention to recently planted plants and plants in pots. Use the water wisely and follow the link if you need ideas on how to save water in the garden.
Continue with your feeding schedule and watch out for pests and diseases.
Deadhead flowers
Regular deadheading promotes new flowers growth. Cut back any flowers that have faded.
Collect seeds
While walking in the garden, watch out for seeds that are ripening and collect them. Seed heads are usually ready when they turn brown. This is the time to cut them to paper bags, dry and store to sow later.
Weed the garden
Weeds grow quickly during this time of year. Keep them under control so your plants don’t have to compete for water, nutrients and light with some undesirable weeds.
Weeding the garden
In the vegetable garden
Harvest tomatoes as they ripe and onions when the foliage decays, if they weren’t ready last month.
Keep harvesting crops while they are young as vegetables because they will taste better. If you harvest courgettes regularly they will produce new flowers and new fruits to continue the crop into autumn. Summer cabbages should be ready to eat, cut them before the pests arrive.
Trim hedges
Hedges grow very quickly during summer. Trim them regularly to keep them in shape.
This is a good time to trim lavenders, cut the flowers and give a little prune in the leaves but don’t cut into old wood.
Trim box hedge
Propagation
Take semi-ripe cuttings from shrubs. These cuttings are taken when the base of this year growth is turning mature. We have a guide to demonstrate how to propagate lavender by this way.
The majority of the popular garden shrubs can be propagated by this way. You just need to follow the rules and have some patience. Try it with berberis, box, ceanothus, cistus, ericas, hebes, philadelphus, pyracantha, santolina, rosemary and viburnums.
This is also the perfect time for taking cuttings from pelargoniums, fuchsias and other tender pereninals.
What other jobs do you consider essential this month? Let us know in the comments section below so we can add to this list of jobs to do in August in the garden.
