YOUR GARDEN NEEDS THIS MONTH:
AUGUST
OUTDOORLIVING
TOP 10 JOBS THIS MONTH
1. Prune wisteria.
2. Don’ t delay summer pruning fruits trained as restricted forms.
3. Deadhead flowering plants regularly.
4. Watering- particularly containers and new plants, preferably with grey recycled water or stored rainwater.
5. Collect seed from garden plants.
6. Harvest sweetcorn and other vegetables as they become ready.
7. Continue cutting out old fruited canes on raspberries.
8. Lift and pot up rooted strawberry runners. 9. Keep ponds and water features topped up. 10. Feed the soil with green manures.
DEADHEAD FLOWERING PLANTS REGULARLY
Most flowers lose their attraction as they fade, spoiling the overall appearance of beds, borders and containers, and are best removed. However, there are other reasons.
Regular deadheading directs energy into stronger growth and more flowers. Once the flowers are pollinated, seed heads, pods or capsules form at the expense of further growth and flower development.
It can prevent plants with numerous petals, such as peonies, some camellias and many roses, scattering debris widely.
Remove the spent flowers as soon as they look scruffy. In practice, gardeners usually have to remove them as soon as they can and, thankfully, a few days delay won’ t make a difference.
COLLECT SEED FROM GARDEN PLANTS
Seed can be saved from many trees, shrubs, perennials, aquatic plants, alpines, annuals, biennials, bulbous plants, ornamental grasses vegetables and herbs.
Harvesting your own seed is fun, but takes a little understanding and planning. Seedheads can ripen quickly, and must be watched carefully in order to collect the seed before they are dispersed. As a rough guide, seed is set about ten months after flowering. Some seed is collected when well developed but immature and green, such as Anemone nemorosa, calendula and Ranunculus.
Berries need to be collected before they are taken by birds.
The plants from which you collect seed must be healthy and vigorous. This will help ensure good quality seedlings and plants. Usually only species‘ come true’ from seed – seedlings from a hybrid will be extremely variable. Most seed germinates best if sown as soon as they ripen, whereas seed harvested while immature will not germinate.
LIFT AND POT UP ROOTED STRAWBERRY RUNNERS
There are three kinds of strawberries:
Alpine strawberries are usually grown in shade in ornamental gardens. They have small, sweetly flavoured, aromatic fruits and tolerate cooler conditions than most other strawberries.
Large fruited‘ summer bearers’ flower in the short days of late spring for crops in summer, and to a much lesser extent in autumn.
Large fruited‘ perpetual’ strawberries form flower buds in summer to crop from late summer into autumn over a long period.
Perpetuals bear fruit in regular flushes from July until the first autumn frosts. To ensure a good late-summer crop, the flowers of the season produced in May must be removed.
A bed of strawberries usually lasts up to four years if planted into well-drained, fertile soil free from troublesome weeds. To avoid disease build up, choose a different plot and replant strawberries every three years. Strawberries will tolerate shade, but will thrive in sunshine, and they prefer a slightly acidic soil.
Enrich the soil by mixing in a bucketful of well-rotted manure or other organic matter before planting. Forking in a balanced fertiliser, such as Growmore, at 100g per square metre, will also help produce good yields.
Strawberries can also be grown in raised beds where drainage is poor.
The RHS is a UK charity established to share the best in gardening. Their work is driven by a simple love of plants and the belief that gardeners make the world a better place.
For more information visit www. rhs. org. uk
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