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With the peak of the growing season approaching, many plants can be trimmed, still allowing time for them to 'green up' again - formal hedges are an obvious starting point. If Yew is trimmed now then no further cutting will be required until next year. Make sure though, that the shears or hedge trimmer are sharp, otherwise you will end up with little 'snags' where the hedge has been ripped rather than cut. The same applies to other conifers - either hedges or stand-alone plants. Any golden or bright green conifers that are growing in a chalking soil may have a bleaching in some of the foliage. Apply sequestered iron and this will return the colour. Also any large conifers growing in containers will need feeding with a general-purpose liquid food to retain their colour. If you tend to cut hard once a year on your hedges, then this should be completed sooner rather than later to avoid bare patches. However if you take great pride in your hedges and cut them regularly, the density will be such that this will not be a problem. During this month, carnations and pinks should be layered to provide new stock for next year. Clematis, honeysuckle and wisteria should be trained before the shoots become unmanageable. Lavender may need trimming. Penstemons need their flower spikes cut down. Roses can still be budded to supplement next year's stock. Sweet peas need watering well with a regular dose of liquid manure. Remove all dead heads in your spare moments. Tulips to be moved need to be lifted and stored on their sides in trays. |
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| If you want to carry on planting through August, sow Annuals like antirrhinums, pansies, violas, and Iceland poppies. For flowering next spring, these need to be sown early in the month, with ten-week stock being sown towards the end of the month. Colchicums can be planted now for autumn flowering they come in various flower shapes and colours. Plant in well drained soil, 4" deep and about 8-10" apart for naturalising in either shade or full sun. Crown Imperials are a good 'showy' summer flower - plant bulbs in very well drained soil in full sun. Plant to 4 times there size deep. If there is a risk of the soil becoming too wet over the winter, then these are ideal to put into containers. They will have heavy, tall flower spikes, so the container will need to be pretty heavy to avoid it falling over - a half-barrel or sturdy planter would be ideal |  |
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You could say this is the cutting month as all kinds of hardy plants and bedding plants can be struck in sandy soil this month. You may care to use rooting powder, but it is a matter of choice. Roses such as the Bourbon China, Hybrid Perpetual and Noisette may be struck. Viola cuttings may be taken and struck. The Saxifrages should have their side shoots taken off and planted in borders or pots. Cuttings of carnations and picotees should be planted out and others potted and kept aside for use as replacements if necessary. Perennial seedlings should be thinned and the removed plants put in other positions in the garden. Spring flowering perennials can be divided and replanted. Now is the time to look for places in the lawn where bulbs can be planted for next spring. For those plants under glass, watering should be continued and keep a look out for pests and diseases as they are at their most prolific at this time of year. Azaleas need re-potting. If time allows, de-bud the Chrysanthemums. Climbing plants need cutting back. Pelargoniums need to be stood outside to ripen the wood. Sow Annuals under glass such as clarkia, cyclamen, pelargoniums, schizanthus; stocks for winter flowering should be sown. |
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If you have avegetable plot the remains of crops that have been harvested should be removed and put on the compost heap. Plants, like French beans and onions, can be left for next year's seed. Asparagus beds must be kept free of weeds. Cut the bearing tips unless the seed is required. Broccoli will require plenty of water when the heads are forming. Cabbages can do with having a pinch of sulphate or ammonia hoed in to make them heart up. Celery should have any side shoots cut off and given water and liquid manure. Celery and leeks should be earthed up. Ridge cucumbers, tomatoes and marrows need water as required during hot weather. The fruit should be harvested when about 8 inches (20cm) long and the early cut will improve the yield. Garlic and onions can be harvested this month and then ripened. Herbs can be collected for storing. |
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Potatoes, the early ones, that you want for next year's seed should be dug up and dried in the sun. Runner beans should be stopped when they reach the top of the poles and the fruit harvested when formed and not left on the vine. Shallots can start to be harvested. Turnips may need the flys kept in check by dusting with slake or ground lime. Sow cauliflowers for summer and onions for next year with radishes, red cabbage, spinach and turnips. Cauliflower seeds can be started in a frame, but they should be uncovered as soon as the seed is up in order that they may harden off. Cucumbers under glass may need some bottom heat and a dressing of sulphur to prevent mildew. Plants started now should fruit until Christmas. Melon beds need to be dried off as the fruit ripens. If you grow any fruit in your garden then fruit on walls should be exposed to the sun, but protected from wasps and birds as it ripens. Pests like earwigs and snails should be trapped. Pruning can be started and trees budded. Protection bands round tree trunks will give an idea of what pests are in the neighbourhood. Action will need to be taken against pest and mice for strawberries, raspberries, currants, loganberries and plums. Apples, pears and plums may need the fruit thinning out if the crop is heavy and branches are starting to bow. Apricots, peaches and nectarines need as much sun as possible. Loganberries and raspberries should have the old canes cut down as soon as the fruit has been picked. Strawberries need the unwanted runners cut off and the old straw removed from round the crowns. New beds for the runners need to be made. Peaches and nectarines under glass should be sprayed with water and given good ventilation. Fruit trees in pots should be out in the open after the fruit has been picked. Strawberries that are being used for forcing should be planted into 6-7inch (15cm) pots and given plenty of water. Watch out for wasps! Finally, spare a thought for the poor fish in the pond. Instead of just dropping the end of the hose in the pond to top it up during the hot weather, attach it to something and allow it to splash into the water. This helps to oxygenate the water more effectively. |
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Happy Gardening,
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