Jobs for August
- Good weather means you will need to do more watering, especially hanging baskets & containers.
- Containers & hanging baskets will need feeding, as will beds, borders & the vegetable plot.
- Dead head plants to encourage them to produce new flowers.
- Tall or top-heavy flowers, such as dahlias, will need staking to prevent them being damaged by wind or rain.
- Trim hedges back before the autumn
- Water the lawn in spells of very dry weather to keep it looking green & lush.
- Keep on top of weeds! Use weedkiller on paths & drives.
Vegetables to grow in August
These seeds can be sown straight into the soil outside:
- Carrots
- Lettuce
- Pak choi
- Radish
- Rocket
- Spinach
- Spring onions
- Turnips
Flowers to grow in August
- Roses
- Californian poppy
- Dahlias
- Lilies
- Calendula (Pot Marigolds)
- Cornflowers
- Forget me nots
Wildlife in August
- Continue to feed the birds.
- Keep bird baths clean and full of fresh water. Check regularly in hot weather.
- Adult frogs/toads will leave the pond this month.
- Marigolds planted around vegetable plots will attract hoverflies which eat aphids.
- Leave a pile of twigs & seeds heads aside for wildlife to feast upon before they hibernate in the autumn.
- Choose annuals/perennials for next year to attract pollinating insects.
- If you are trimming hedges, check for nests! Some birds, such as blackbirds & thrushes continue nesting late.
