Chop back your perennials if you let them go to seed they will not produce a second flush of colour .
Now the soil has had some moisture we can start to think about planting some summer shiners to fill the gaps.
- We have planned an excellent selection of Bulbs and they will arrive later this month so start to plan what you might like and where. It will soon be September the ideal time to plant your daffodils.
- Grasses are spectacular in August and plant particularly well with herbaceous perennials in the Asteraceae family such as asters, echinops,anemones and helleniums but also with crocosmias and other tall perennials.
- Prune hedges so any new growth they make will be harden off before we have any frosts. Don’t leave it until winter.
- Cut back most shrubs that have flowered taking out diseased dead and damaged then any crossing branches and if you need to reduce it in size do so.
- It’s also a very good time to prune your Wisteria in order to control the growth. Take the shoots back to about 2-3 buds. It will need another prune in early spring.
- Encourage herbaceous plants to flower for as long as possible by feeding, mulching and dead heading. If they are well fed and are not producing seed they have no reason to stop flowering yet.
- Feed your agapanthus now then every 2 weeks with maxicrop (seaweed feed) and into the autumn, this will put energy into the bulb for next years flowering.
- Continue watering and feeding your pots and do feed you agapanthus up until autumn, even after it had finished.
- Trim your lavender before any new growth will get caught in cold weather, just lightly trim.
- We have had some rain so it’s a good time to plant. I am still filling late summer gaps in my borders. I recommend the large Amistad salvias to enjoy now or dahlias. Behind at the back of my border I have added Veronicastrum and hope it will bulk out and fill the space next year as a tall perennial.
- Vegetable growers can continue planting salad leaves from seed if they are very quick. We have ready grown plants. We also have sprouting broccoli, Brussels, cabbage, calabrese and leeks all ready to go in now.
- Fruit trees want any vertical water shoots removing, diseased dead or damaged (3 D’s) or crossing branches. Fruit pruning now will not stimulate new growth.
- All stone fruit should be pruned. You aim to create a tulip or goblet shape in the center so air circulates well round the fruit. You also remove the 3 D’s.
- Grapes vines should only have 6 to 8 sets on each vine. Leaves can be removed to let air and light around the grapes. Removing some to the grapes on overloaded bunches with small scissors as its about quality not quantity.
- You garden should be swarming with bees. If it’s not consider adding some perennial agastache we have noticed they appear to absolutely love it here above all the other plants.
