Things to do in your garden this August…

Let's be honest. This Summer has not felt very Summery.

Day after dreary day of grey sky and drizzle made last month feel more like October than July.

But - if you can - try not to despair too much. It is still only the start of August, meaning there's plenty of time left for the sun to return from its hiding place.

That's what we're telling ourselves anyway.

Regardless of what our wonderful British weather is doing, there's still lots to be getting on with in the garden.

Here's our list of recommended jobs for August:

Bulbs, Seeds & Flowers

• Deadhead perennial plants throughout August, especially dahlias, to keep them blooming through into September.
• Plan for next year by sowing hardy annual seeds
• Pull up annuals that have finished blooming
• Prune roses, but keep as much as possible of this year's growth to bear flowers for next year
• Take cuttings of flowering shrubs such as sweet peas, and pelargoniums to pot up ready for next season.
• Start planting the first autumn bulbs in the ground for next Spring

Kitchen Garden

• Keep a lookout for blight on potatoes and tomato plants. Remove any infected plants to stop the blight from spreading.
• Plant late potatoes for Christmas
• As soft fruit starts to develop, use netting to protect from birds eating it.
• Plant out kale and winter cabbage seedlings/young plants
• Prune fan-trained fruit trees.
• Harvest tomatoes, beans, courgettes, apples, plums, strawberries and cherries
• Cut herb garden to encourage new growth

Pests

• Check pots for signs of vine weevil larvae and lily beetles
• Keep an eye out for the butterfly eggs on the leaf of brassicas

Lawn and maintenance

• Cut the lawn regularly but mow no more than once a week. 
• Trim hedges but check for nesting birds

Wildlife

• Top up or invest in bird baths and ponds daily during hot weather
• Baby hedgehogs are also on the move in August so leave out food and provide shelter from predators