August in the garden

Normally a hot month - loads of plants die when you take a holiday - or simply take it easy. You can normally get decent sized bedding plant replacements at this time of year - at a reasonable price.

• Dead-head roses, annuals, perennials - for a prolonged flowering period

• Keep watering them, and feeding with liquid fertilizer.

• Remove side flower buds from Dahlias and Chrysanthemums

• Water and keep feeding hanging baskets/tubs daily

• Get to the garden centre before all of the choice daffodils etc sell out

• Last trim of hedges - especially beech, if you want to keep the winter foliage.

• Sow some spring cabbage

• Dry off your shallots and onions as the tops brown

• Pinch out the tops of runner beans - it will increase the yield!

• Pinch out the tops of tomato plants - remove lower leaves (In greenhouse)

• Tayberries and loganberries can be increased by 'layering'

• Summer prune your wisteria - this encourages flower spurs for next year

• Look hard at your garden - does any area need to be re-planned?

• Take cuttings of fuchsias and geraniums (pelargoniums)

• If your Brussels Sprouts get top heavy, earth them up a little bit!

• Watch out for birds eating your fruit crops - and do something about it.

• Alpines can be propagated by cutting now - and seed; as soon as it is ripe

• Most shrubs and climbers will benefit from a dressing of Sulphate of Potash now.

• Get some more barbecue-ing in. It will soon be autumn!

Bet you can't wait until September, so that you can take it easy!

We'll see!