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It’s one thing keeping ourselves cool in the heat of summer, but it’s a whole different ball game keeping your garden in tip top shape throughout the warmer months. Longer, sunnier days can provide the perfect conditions for plant and shrub growth which can see your outdoor haven blooming with colour and texture. Maybe you’ve been waiting all year for long evenings with friends and family in the summerhouse or log cabin, dreaming of beautiful summer views from your garden office or watching the kids make memories in their playhouses. Whatever it is you were hoping to get from your garden this summer, there really is no reason why you the dream can’t become a reality. Of course whilst so many of us welcome a rise in temperatures to keep those tans in good health, our gardens can suffer if not given the love and attention they deserve throughout summer. So if, like many people across the country you are keen to get involved in gardening but not quite sure where to start, here are a few pointers to get you going:
Watering
This beautiful warm weather we have all been enjoying brings an inevitable need for rehydration on all counts, especially your garden. You may have spent many weekends browsing gardening centre for the perfect plants and spent months growing and taking care of them in greenhouses, so don’t let an unexpected dry patch catch you out. It goes without saying that regular watering is an absolute must, one maybe even twice a day depending on just how warm temperatures have been. Areas of your garden in particular need will be containers and any relatively new plants which may be a little vulnerable at this time of year. Where possible it is great to use what is often known as ‘grey water’, which, if you’re a little new to the idea, is essentially fairly clean waste water from sources such as kitchen appliances, sinks and baths. This of course is a much more economical way to keep your garden hydrated, especially useful at a time when water butts are running a little low.
A Little Pruning Goes A Long Way
This month you’ll be enjoying a blossoming bouquet of colours and textures throughout your garden, which, after all is what you’ve probably been waiting for all year so sit back and enjoy. However without a little pruning work, some of your much loved plants and shrubs can easily become a little unruly so it is absolutely essential that you have regular pruning ingrained into your gardening plan. Pruning, which is essentially the cutting back of any dead or overgrown branches and foliage inorder to help stimulate growth, can be carried out on almost any species however some species may need particular attention this month. Once you’ve taken a trip to your trusty garden shed for any cutting tools you might need, keep an eye out for any fruiting fans and cordons that might need some care and attention. Wisteria will certainly need pruning and we recommend cutting back new season growth to 5 leaves in order to keep them looking their very best over summer. If you are the proud owner of some beautiful rambling roses then pruning them back after flowering will do them a world of good. Something to think about is thinning out and shortening any excessive growth by reducing any side shoots by around one third.
General Maintenance
Deadheading any old or drying flowers will give room for new growth, as well as cutting back any flowered herbaceous plants which could help lead to a late season flush of wondrous growth. The extravagant burst of colour that dahlias can bring to a garden make them a popular choice but they may just need a little extra protection this month. Earwigs tend to love dahlias and setting up traps to catch them can be easy, simply upturning some pots onto canes and filling them with straw or hay can do the trick, just be sure to shake out the pots each morning. Of course it’s not only flowers that deserve a little attention, hedges will also probably need a final trimming this month inorder to keep them in good shape as well as maintain a healthy growth rate.
Budding Growers
If you like to grow crops in your gardens, whether it be growing your own fruit, vegetables or herbs, then August is an important time to keep on top of any little jobs that could easily fall by the wayside. To keep overall soil health and quality in check why not try sowing green manures to your garden this month as fantastically effective soil improver. Also, whilst it may seem a little late for some, August is actually a great time to sow some quick maturing salad crops, such as spring cabbage, turnips and oriental vegetables which thanks to the glorious weather should soon shoot up and give you a little extra boost of delicious flavour. If you are growing raspberries, then please do remember to cut back any only fruited canes to realp ensure future growth. Strawberry runners are also a pretty popular crop for this season, and we recommend that this month you take a little time to lift and pot up any rooted strawberry runners to really maximise your crop this year. In fact you will probably notice a few crops starting to come to fruition this month, so be at the ready to harvest and sweetcorn or other vegetables as soon as they are ready to enjoy the best possible tastes and flavours.
Enlist A Little Help
Of course, this time of year is also the time for summer holidays which could see many of us jetting of for a week or two at a time. If you’re already a green fingered enthusiast with a sturdy plan of action for your garden this summer, you may need to enlist the help of a friend or family member while you are away to keep on top of your efforts. Weeds can grow at such a rapid rate at this time of year, so giving a trusted person the key to your garden shed or garden building so that they too can have access to anything they might need to keep your garden looking fresh for your return home.
Gardening With Tates of Sussex Garden Centres
Here at Tates of Sussex we are more than just a garden centre, infact our team of green-fingered enthusiasts have years of experience in all things gardening, going beyond most gardening centers to offer our customers a range of services and guidance. If the glorious summer weather has sparked your imagination and had you thinking about a few upgrades to your garden, then look no further than Tates of Sussex Garden Centres. We are very excited to announce the arrival of our Big Summer Sale which brings huge reductions of up to 50% across all of our ranges. If a new garden building is on the cards we are also offering 20% off our superb quality malvern sheds and summer houses as well as 5% off our greenhouses. Our showrooms are at South Downs Nurseries and Paradise Park Garden Centre with a selection of our best sellers on display at Mayberry Garden Centre. If you would like to know any more about our Big Summer Sale or have any burning gardening questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch and a member of our friendly staff will be more than happy to speak with you.
