Gardener's diary - August gardening
Our Guide to August Gardening.
Usually one of the hottest months of the year, in August extra attention must be paid to watering and caring for your plants and trees. It is also one of the best months for sitting back and admiring your hard work!
Herbaceous Perennials
Continue with routine tasks like dead heading, watering and weeding.
Divide bearded irises every three years. Lift and divide, discarding any old material and prepare the new growth for replanting.
To increase your stock of carnations layer strong, non-flowering shoots.
Divide bearded irises every three years. Lift and divide, discarding any old material and prepare the new growth for replanting.
To increase your stock of carnations layer strong, non-flowering shoots.
Hardy Annuals
Continue with routine tasks.
Biennials
Continue with routine tasks
Half-Hardy Annuals
Continue with routine tasks.
Shrubs
As for July.
Climbers and Wall Plants
Check ties and water regularly. Add high potash fertilizer to plants that have new wood maturing for next year.
Trees
As for July.
Hedges
Continue planting container grown plants. Order bare rooted plants now, ready for planting in the colder months.
Continue to spray evergreen plants with water throughout dry weather, preferably during the evening when there is no chance of the sun scorching the leaves.
Trim or prune Crataegus monogyna (common hawthorn). Leave plants such as Ligustrum (privet) until later in the month.
Continue to spray evergreen plants with water throughout dry weather, preferably during the evening when there is no chance of the sun scorching the leaves.
Trim or prune Crataegus monogyna (common hawthorn). Leave plants such as Ligustrum (privet) until later in the month.
Heathers
Continue to take cuttings.
Bulbs and Corms
There are a few autumn flowering bulbs available, including Cyclamen and Colchicum, which you can buy now for planting as soon as possible. Plant in well drained soil in a semi-shaded site.
Finish planting winter flowering plants. Spring flowering bulbs can be planted between now and October.
Finish planting winter flowering plants. Spring flowering bulbs can be planted between now and October.
Alpines
Potting , re-potting and sowing of seeds should be completed in heated and unheated frames and house by the end of this month. If this is not possible then it is better to wiat until next year so as not to disturb the plants.
Continue with routine tasks.
For rock gardens and raised beds continue with routine tasks. Order stone and other materials needed to construct new beds next month.
Continue with routine tasks.
For rock gardens and raised beds continue with routine tasks. Order stone and other materials needed to construct new beds next month.
Lawns
Continue with mowing, adjusting the blade height and frequency of mowing according to the growth rate of the lawn and local climate. A final feed can be given if necessary, but do not apply nitrogenous feed after this month.
Complete weed killing treatments.
In colder areas it is advisable to sow new lawns now, whereas warmer areas can wait until September.
Complete weed killing treatments.
In colder areas it is advisable to sow new lawns now, whereas warmer areas can wait until September.
Plants that are in flower in August.
Annuals and Biennials:
- Ageratum
- Althaea
- Alyssum
- Antirrhinum
- Begonia
- Calceolaria
- Calendula
- Celosia
- Centaurea
- Chrysanthemum
- Clarkia
- Cleome
- Cobaea
- Convulvus
- Coreopsis
- Cosmos
- Dahlia
- Dianthus
- Eschscholzia
- Gaillardia
- Gazania
- Godetia
- Gypsophila
- Helianthus
- Helichrysum
- Heliotropium
- Hibiscus
- Impatiens
- Ipomoea
- Lathyrus
- Lavatera
- Limonium
- Lobelia
- Mesambryanthemum
- Nemesia
- Nicotania
- Nigella
- Papaver
- Petunia
- Phlox
- Portulaca
- Reseda
- Salpiglossis
- Salvia
- Scabiosa
- Schizanthus
- Tagetes
- Thunbergia
- Viola
- Zinnia
Border Perennials:
- Acanthus spinosus
- Achillea filipendulina
- Agapanthus africanus
- Anchusa azurea
- Campanula spp.
- Dianthus caryophyllus
- Echinacea purpurea
- Echinops ritro
- Eryngium spp.
- Gaillardia aristata
- Helenium autumnanale
- Helianthus decapetalus
- Heliopsis scabra
- Hosta spp.
- Kniphofia uvaria
- Liatris spicata
- Ligularia dentata
- Lirope muscari
- Lysmachia clethroides
- Macleaya cordata
- Oenothera missouriensis
- Phlox spp.
- Physostegia virginiana
- Polygonum affine
- Potentilla hybrids
- Rudbeckia fulgida
- Salvia superba
- Saponaria officinalis
- Sidalcea malvaeflora
- Solidago hybrida
- Stachys lanata
- Stokesia laevis
- Stokesia laevis
- Thalictrum dipterocarpum
- Tradescantia virginiana
- Viola odorata
Rockery Perennials:
- Acaena microphylla
- Achillea tomentosa
- Anacyclus depressus
- Androsace lanuginosa
- Astilbe chinensis pumila
- Campanula spp.
- Cyananthus microphyllus
- Dianthus deltoides
- Erigoron mucronatus
- Gentiana septemfida
- Geranium cinereum
- Gypsophila repens
- Helichrysum bellidioides
- Hypericum polyphyllum
- Lithospermum diffusum
- Mazus reptans
- Mimulus primuloides
- Origanum amanum
- Penstemon pinofolius
- Potentilla nitida
- Saponaria ocymoides
- Silene maritima
- Sisyrinchium spp.
- Verbascum 'Letitia'
Bulbs:
- Begonia
- Brodiaea
- Camassia
- Cardiocrinum
- Cyclamen europaeum
- Iris (Xiphium group)
- Ixia
- Ranunculus
- Tigridia
Shrubs:
- Caryopteris clandonensis
- Ceanothus 'Autumnal Blue'
- Ceanothus 'Burkwoodii'
- Ceanothus 'Gloire de Versailles'
- Ceratostigma willmottianum
- Clerodendrum trichotomum
- Fuchsia species
- Hibiscus syriacus
- Hydrangea species
- Leycesteria Formosa
- Magnolia grandiflora
- Myrtus communis
- Perovskia atriplicifolia
- Rhus typhina
- Romneya species
- Spartium junceum
- Tamarix pentandra
- Vinca species
Trees:
- Catalpa bignonioides
- Eucryphia
