August in the garden

Keep dead heading plants to encourage and prolong flowering. Feed hanging baskets and containers to keep them looking good.

Look out for anything going to seed to collect and grow on later.

Water early morning or evening to help reduce evaporation this will help keep your plants hydrated during hot spells. Make sure you dont forget Camellias and Rhoderdendrons as they now need to be kept hydrated to enable them to be create flower buds for next springs.

Summer prune apples and pears to allow current fruit to ripen, this also helps with next years fruit.

Lavender, once the bees have lost interest in the flowers they can be cut back, just trim the softer growth, do not cut into the woody growth.

This month is also a good time to prune whisteria and rambleing roses.