Around the garden in August
By Nick Hamilton
Maintain the garden by feeding, pruning, watering and weeding this month
'August is an excellent month for sowing grass seed, as the temperature is beneficially high and this month usually brings ample rain to start the seed off quickly.'
Beds, borders and around BEDS AND BORDERS: Weed through beds and borders so weeds do not detract from the flowers. Other general border tasks this month include weeding, cutting back, dividing, forking over and pruning.
Deadhead and cut back flowered stems in beds and borders, unless you want to collect the seed. Also, leave stems that have some winter interest or provide seeds that will be enjoyed by the birds.
CONTAINERS: Keep watering hanging baskets and potted plants. Feed once a week with a high-potash fertiliser for blooming plants into autumn (or check the manufacturer's recommendations for feeding on the packet). Do the same for potted perennials, shrubs and trees. Watering is vital for plants grown in containers and pots. If you are going away, arrange for a friend or neighbour to do the watering. Group pots in a shady place, or set up a water reservoir and capillary matting watering system.
HEDGES: Cut hedges – both deciduous such as beech, and evergreen such as x Cupressocyparis leylandii.
PERENNIALS: Cut back untidy perennials and those that are toppling over, including achilleas and hardy geraniums.
PESTS & DISEASES: Watch out for pests and diseases; regular inspection and prompt action are key.
PLANTING: Plant herbs or Mediterranean plants. Water them in well and top up planted areas with pebble mulch. Identify gaps for autumn planting.
PRUNING: It is important to prune Kolkwitzia, Philadelphus, Rhododendron, Syringa and all other spring-flowering shrubs, now they have finished flowering. Remove some of the older wood to encourage them to replace this with younger stems (that will flower much better), while also keeping them to a manageable size. It is also advisable to tidy the shrubs at the same time.
TENDER PERENNIALS: Take cuttings from tender perennials, such as fuchsias and pelargoniums, as insurance against winter losses.
Lawns FEED GRASS: Use a fertiliser with a high phosphate content (often sold as an autumn lawn feed) as this benefits the roots and will help the grass survive the winter. MOW GRASS: Mow, strim and keep lawn edges neat.
MULCH GRASS: In hot, dry weather, it's a good idea to leave grass clippings on the lawn after mowing as it helps to retain moisture in the soil and adds nutrients.
SOW GRASS: August is an excellent month for sowing grass seed, as the temperature is beneficially high and this month usually brings ample rain to start the seed off quickly. When repairing bare patches, it is always worthwhile to improve the soil surface by forking in some organic matter before sowing.
Ponds BLANKETWEED As the temperature increases and the fish become more active, a lot of ponds and water-features become clogged with blanketweed. This needs to be removed to keep the pond looking tidy and prevent it becoming choked. We find it therapeutic to carry out this job on a Sunday morning using either a bamboo cane or strong stick, which we twirl into the blanketweed before pulling the cane, complete with weed, out of the pond.
TIDY UP: Remove decaying plant matter from ponds and thin oxygenating plants.
TOP UP: Keep ponds topped up, should the water level drop with hot, dry weather.
Look further Nick Hamilton runs Barnsdale Gardens in Rutland, Leicestershire, are the creation of the late Geoff Hamilton.
For further gardening advice, hints and tips, go to www.gardensmonthly.co.uk