Gardening Tasks for August

The weather has (finally) picked up, the sun is shining, the children are playing and you are ready to relax. However, it is important that, as well as enjoying your summer, you keep up to date with your gardening tasks. Some are quick and simple and won’t keep you from the sun lounger too long, while others may require a little more effort.

Keep Your Plants Hydrated

It almost goes without saying that as the temperatures rise and the sun grows stronger, it is even more important that you water your plants and flowers, especially those in hanging baskets, pots and containers. If you’re going away over the summer, it could be worth investing in an automatic watering system for your plants, and vegetable gardens. They work using a censor system that can detect the moisture levels in the soil and will put a stop to your watering woes.

Tip: If you’re concerned about using too much water, why not use bathwater or washing up water- they work perfectly, providing that they aren’t too dirty.

Weed Your Garden

Not only do weeds ruin the look of a beautiful flower patch, border or vegetable patch, they use the valuable moisture in the soil that your own plants so desperately require in the heat. Weeding is probably one of the most monotonous of gardening tasks, but it must be done nonetheless. However, it doesn’t always have to be a mammoth task. Use a dutch hoe and stick to the mantra of little and often in order that you keep your garden looking tip top.

Tip: Weed your garden on a hot, sunny day. Any remainder of the weed left on the surface will dry out and die in the heat, saving you any extra work.

Deadhead Your Plants

It’s likely that a few of your plants and flowers will have become dehydrated and die in the hot summer weather. In order that your garden is kept bright and beautiful throughout summer, you should remove all dead heads of your plants. This will not only make your garden look tidier, but encourage any dead plants to grow and flower again.

Tip: When deadheading roses, it is important that you cut the stem itself. Simply taking off the dead flower heads will leave the rose vulnerable to infection, meaning that it may not re-flower again later on.

Encourage Wildlife Into Your Garden

Few things are more relaxing that the gentle sound of birds tweeting as you sit in the garden during the summer. Like us, birds need plenty of water and food in the warmer summer months. In order to encourage the birds into your garden, ensure that you regularly change food and water and dispose of any mouldy food on your bird tables.

Tip: Don’t feed birds with milk, it can be toxic to them.

Are there any gardening tasks that you think are important to carry out in August? Let us know!

[Photo Credit: ukgardenphotos ]