Gardening Jobs for August

It's August, it’s the height of summer and the garden is abuzz with wildlife and luscious plants. You could be looking to the end of the season with a general tidy up or still planting new plants, so if you're looking for ways to make the most out of summer in the garden, take a look at our handy list of August jobs.

Seed Collection

If you would like to collect seeds from poppies, nigella, marigolds or sweet peas, its best to not deadhead them, leave them on the plant to develop and dry out. You can then snip the seed heads off the plant and shake the seeds into a paper bag – to remain viable for sowing they need to be kept cool and dry in a dark place over winter. Ideally in a glass or paper bag in a cupboard – but don’t forget to label them!

Wildlife

Look out for wildlife during the hot weather, topping up water features like ponds and bird baths to help visitors to your garden stay cool. Shallow bowls of water are great for hedgehogs and other small mammals – but always make sure they have stones or a ramp to get out if they fall in. Consider making a mud puddling spot for butterflies. Simply mix some soil with water in a shallow dish, place it in a spot that gets a good mix of direct sunlight and shade, and keep it topped up with water, butterflies sip the sodium rich mud which is vital for their reproductive health.

Soil Moisture

As temperatures rise, soil moisture levels fall, so watering is paramount throughout August. Give your plants a good soak directly at the roots rather then on the leaves. Water new plants every few days to encourage root growth down rather than to the surface and add a thick layer of mulch to retain moisture. Install a water butt for more sustainable watering.

Tomato Plants

Keep tomato plants fruiting by feeding and watering them regularly. Removing lower level leaves reduces the risk of disease and helps them thrive for longer.

Harvesting

It's another busy month in the vegetable garden, and there's plenty of harvesting to be done. Tomatoes, radishes, beetroot and lettuce are just some of the freshly-grown ingredients you can add to your kitchen. Encourage more courgettes by regularly picking young ones and water pumpkins and squash well while they ripen under the summer sun.