Garden tips for August

August is the month where early season turf maintenance will pay dividends. If a regime of scarification, aeration, feeding and regular mowing is adopted then – as use of the lawn increases with the school holidays – the sward will have developed resilience to wear and scuffing out. It is the lawn that sets off the garden, giving a feeling of space and acting as an enhancement to colours within the border. Be vigilant for dead wood forming in mature trees and shrubs. Prune out to allow regeneration within the canopy. Agapanthus are flowering. These sunloving tender South African perennials thrive with pot-bound culture. However, after four to six years, the centre of the plant often dies out so they will then appreciate splitting and repotting. This can be done once flowering has finished or in the following spring. Tidy the shed. If, like me, you stack trays, pots and containers from the seasonal planting in a growing heap, now is the time for action. Sort out those useful for the future and stack tidily. Ask your local garden centre if they have a bring back scheme or try community initiatives to recycle surplus pots. While in the shed, check if the roof is watertight. During a dry, calm, spell of weather a new sheet of felt will improve the conditions needed for longevity of items stored within. Dampness allows rust to develop on tools and the cutting blades of mowers. In the vegetable plot, bare soil is rapidly colonised by weeds. Move the hoe carefully between crop lines as the seedlings appear. Bend the back and stretch down to pull weeds within the rows. Too near with the blade of the hoe results in less veg for the pot. Where there is bare soil there is an opportunity to sow and grow. Keep a supply of young lettuce and other greens growing. Better to have a productive plot than a weedy one. Hedge-cutting season may seem never ending but in a hedge there is a living community: much more biodiverse than a fence panel. Trimmings can be composted with grass, ensuring a continuous supply of organic matter to bulk up soil at a later date. Lines of micro pipe and a batteryoperated timer are easily set up to maintain a supply of irrigation water to container-grown plants while on holiday. Also ideal for the tomato crop that will be coming into steady production this month. Any erratic watering at this stage will be detrimental to the fruit. While relaxing in the garden, look at the plant combinations in the borders. Do they have synergy? A border that is well planted will have structure that includes good colour combinations that blend with foliage shape and texture for year-round interest, and cover the soil. Bare soil grows weeds. Weeds mean work that results in less time absorbing the ambience of the garden. A garden is a place to enjoy, not to make you a slave. Careful thought, planting and good cultivation techniques will ensure this.

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN, EDINBURGH ARBORETUM PLACE, EDINBURGH TEL: 0131 248 2909 WWW.RBGE.ORG.UK