Tips for August 2023

Water Camellias and Rhododendrons during dry spells for good flower bud formation.

Lift spring-sown and spring planted onions & shallots once the foliage yellows and topples over. Dry bulbs in a single layer in full sun outdoors, or in a greenhouse or well-ventilated shelf, for two weeks before storing.

Summer prune wisteria by cutting back the whippy green shoots of the current year’s growth to five or six leaves. Pruning helps to encourage flower buds to form.

After flowering, cut back lavenders to about 2.5cm (1inch) below the flowering stems, but don’t cut into old, brown wood.

Encourage a flush of new foliage on herbs such as oregano and thyme by cutting back now.

Select this season’s now flowering growth to take cuttings of Berberis, Ceanothus, Choisya, Philadelphus, Herbs and Viburnum.  Remove all bar top two leaves. Cuttings should be 4-6 inches long.

Get ahead and plan next year’s spring bulb display. Bulbs become available to order or buy in garden centres this month, planting can begin now with bulbs such as Daffodils, Crocus and Alliums.

If your main crop potato foliage appears blighted, cut growth off at ground level and destroy diseased material. Leave tubers in the ground for two weeks, then lift and store.

Most rambling roses flower just once in summer and should be be pruned after flowering, thinning out one in three of the oldest stems at the base. Tying in new, replacement shoots and shortening flowering side shoots by two thirds.

Sow green manures to cover the soil that may otherwise remain bare. Green manures reduce weed growth, help prevent soil erosion and when dug into the ground, return valuable nutrients and improve structure. This month is a good time for sowing clover, trefoil, buckwheat, phacelia, grazing rye.