These are your tasks for August

A second hedge clipping can be done now. This will keep your hedge really tight and compact in growth and looking good through the rest of the year. Clipping now will also allow any new growth to harden off before winter. Pruning rambling roses can also be carried out now in a similar way to the wisteria but try to remove a quarter of the old growth and replace with strong new shoots. Continue to dead head herbaceous plants like Phygelius, Penstemon and Dahlias to encourage flowering well into autumn. I leave the seed heads of Agapanthus, Libertia, Astilbe and Dierama as they are attractive in their own right, I do give a couple of liquid feeds just to strengthen the plants energy levels.

Seed collecting is another job on the list. Beans and peas in the vegetable garden can be dried and used next year. Herbaceous plants like foxgloves, aquilegia and honesty will self seed but if you want to control their spread remove the seed heads early then dry them out and store for controlled sowing later.

You can still take semi hardwood cuttings of Hydrangea, Fuchsia and most woody plants but do this before the end of the month. Strong strawberry runners can be removed and discarded or used to replenish or replace your old existing stock.

Be vigilant with your regular watering of plants in pots, even if it rains it probably won’t be sufficiant to what is required. Liquid feed annual bedding on at least a weekly basis, often at this time of year these plants can begin to tire but if looked after they will continue to produce flowers for at least another month.

If you stll have time on your hands you can turn over your compost heap with a garden fork to encourage faster decomposition.

When all these little jobs are done sit down with a cup of tea and plan your spring flowering bulb planting scheme for September planting.