Autumnal August?
August is a time we associate with the start of Autumn, or at least that was what I was taught in
school. Autumn months were August, September, October, more recently sometimes August can be
a wonderful month full of sunshine and warm sunny evenings giving us a longer spell to enjoy our
gardens.
During the month of August, there are a few things that we can do to ensure that our gardens are
looking well for another few months. Plants that will bring colour right through to October, even
November, like Saliva Amistad, Rudbeckia, Alstroemeria, or even a few big blousy Hydrangeas, will
all extend the colour in your garden for months to come. Replacing things like our Lupins, Calla Lilies
and Delphiniums which are all starting to go to seed.
Roses Bloom Longer!
Roses are still going strong and can continue to flower for months too. Ensure to dead head them,
along with treating them for black spot, removing the affected leaves from underneath the plants.
This will ensure that the black spot spores from the leaves, do not get into the ground and come
back up through your rose next year. Deadheading will mean that the rose will produce more
flowers and put energy into producing the flowers rather than hips.
August is a great time to trim any evergreen shrubs that have finished flowering if you have not cut
them back already, such as Ceanothus, Pittosporums, Hebes. Evergreens are best pruned during the
summer months, in this way the new cuts are not exposed to any chance of frost. If you prune them
late and you get an early frost this can damage your plants, being proactive now, means that you will
have a neater plant for the winter months ahead, ready for new growth again in the spring.
I have begun to harvest my early potatoes. I have cut back all the stems and am leaving them in the
ground and using them as I go. I planted Sharpes Express, but I planted mine a little later and so we
have been having them for about 2 weeks now. The onions are nearly ready to harvest, I usually lift
them and let them dry out first and then tie them up and use them over the winter. These have
been our successes this year, don’t’ talk to me about carrots, currently we are on our third sowing of
carrots, and have yet to see one in the kitchen! But that’s vegetable gardening for you, it’s not
always 100% successful, or any gardening for that matter.
Vintage Fair
We have our Vintage Fair on Sunday 7th August, with the military bringing a display on the day too. It
makes for a great free family day out with lots of stands in the farmers market too, baking, coffee,
sowing, pottery, something for everyone to enjoy on the day. It runs from 10am to 2pm.
If you have any questions regards to your gardening, I’m always happy to help. Thanks to everyone
for the support for our Chatty Hen Coffee House, it’s been a clucking success and continues to be
open Thursday to Saturday 10am to 4.30pm.
Have a great August,
Lynda
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