This Month ... In the Garden
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This Month ... In the Garden
AUGUST
BY DAN STEVENS , SENIOR PLANT MANAGER AT MILLBROOK GARDEN CENTRES
It ’ s super-sunny August and as we enter the hottest part of the year , we need to take extra care in the garden , particularly when it comes to weeding and watering ; we want our gardens to thrive ! The trick to this month is to keep on top of everything a little bit at a time , and you should get the most out of everything for the rest of the season . Here are our top tips for August from Dan at Millbrook .
Weeding
In hot weather it is easy to keep on top of the weeds by hoeing them off and then leaving them to dry out in the sun . Hand weed in those hard to reach areas to stop them from seeding and creating an even bigger problem . Keep an eye on perennial weeds such as horsetail and bindweed . These have strong underground root systems that are very persistent , so they will need to be dug out fully to completely get rid of them . It is worth the effort though as in the long run it will leave far less competition for water and nutrients for all your lovely plants .
Tomato watering
Maintaining a steady water supply for your tomatoes is essential for healthy plants and bumper crops . They are very thirsty plants and in hot conditions ideally need watering twice a day – once in the morning and once in the evening . Not only is this important to keep the crop healthy , but it also prevents the fruit cracking and staves off problems such as blossom end rot . Always keep the water where it is needed at the roots and avoid watering the leaves wherever possible , especially if watering in the evening . Feed once every two weeks or so with a high potash fertiliser for the very best results .
Deadhead and feed summer bedding
Your summer annuals will keep on flowering right through to the frosts … but only if you keep them well fed and deadhead them . Summer annuals want to set their seed so that their job is done , but we want them to keep looking beautiful all through the year ! Nip off the flowers as soon as they start to fade and water and feed regularly to induce more flowers to come through . Pick off the yellowing lower leaves of your geraniums too . This is a completely normal process for them as they move valuable nutrients out of the lower leaves into the new ones that are closer to the light .
Rhododendrons and azaleas
The buds for next year ' s blooms are forming now and without sufficient water you will not have as many flowers in the spring ! Keep these shallowrooted plants well watered in dry periods to make sure of healthy bud growth . Applying an acidic mulch is a great way to protect them against drying out and suppresses weeds , too . Use bark , pine needles or conifer clippings as these are the correct PH for ericaceous plants .
Summer prune wisteria
How you prune your wisteria is critical to ensuring it flowers well . Pruning in the summer encourages flowering spurs to form that will produce flowers next spring . In the first years after planting , focus on training it to the support provided . Trim off lower branches and tie in strong side shoots . In the later summer , cut back vigorous long shoots to within two buds of the current season ’ s growth . If your wisteria is well established then simply cut back the strong whippy growth to leave a strong framework . In autumn , apply an organic mulch or homemade compost to keep the plant well fed .
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