On the Lawn
Raise the blades on the mower before cutting fine lawns. This will help reduce drought stress. Mow lightly and frequently so that short grass clippings can remain on the lawn during hot summers to act as a moisture-retentive mulch.
Excess thatch can be scarified out during autumn maintenance next month. Lawns on thin soils may benefit from a high phosphate feed. Summer meadows may need mowing now if they have past their season of interest.
Raise the blades on the mower before cutting fine lawns. This will help reduce drought stress. Mow lightly and frequently so that short grass clippings can remain on the lawn during hot summers to act as a moisture-retentive mulch.
Excess thatch can be scarified out during autumn maintenance next month. Lawns on thin soils may benefit from a high phosphate feed. Summer meadows may need mowing now if they have past their season of interest.
The Shrub Border
Collect seed from favourite plants. Prune Wisteria and shrubs such as Pyracantha after flowering. Hebe and lavenders can be given a light prune after flowering. Continue to deadhead shrubs, such as roses, to extend flowering into early autumn. Rambling roses can be pruned now, once they have finished flowering.
Thoroughly soak drought-stressed plants and shrubs, especially newly planted ones. Use grey, recycled or stored rain water wherever possible. Semi-ripe cuttings can still be taken to propagate many common garden shrubs (e.g. box, Ceanothus, lavender). Rhododendrons, azaleas and Clematis can be propagated by layering.
Flower border/Patio area
Don’t neglect hanging baskets - deadheading, watering and feeding will help them last through until autumn. Deadhead plants such as Dahlia, rose and Penstemon and bedding to prolong the display colour well into early autumn. Don't cut off the flower heads of ornamental grasses. These will provide winter interest.
Propagate irises by dividing the rhizomes if not done last month. Propagate perennials by dividing once they have finished flowering, but only in areas with some rain and duller weather, to avoid drying out problems.
Take cuttings of tender perennials such as Pelargonium and Osteospermum, as soon as possible. A greenhouse, cool conservatory or a light windowsill are ideal to bring them on until they are established.
Most perennial weeds are best dealt with when in active growth. Applying a weed killer containing Glyphosate during summer will ensure that the roots, as well as the top growth, are killed. However, Glyphosate is non-selective and plants you want to keep should avoided.
Roses
Dead head, Remove weeds, water during dry spells. Black spot on roses is very common at this time of year, and spraying will no longer be effective. Clear fallen leaves and burn them to prevent spread. Powdery mildew can be a problem in dry summers.
Climbing roses can be pruned once they have finished flowering; side-shoots from the main framework of branches are cut back to a couple of buds. Any dead, diseased or spindly growth is cut out and the new young shoots are tied in to the supports, from the base. If there is an old, thick and woody, unproductive stem, it can be removed from the base to stimulate more vigorous growth.
In the Vegetable and Fruit Garden
Don’t delay summer pruning restricted fruits. Harvest sweet-corn and other vegetables as they become ready. Continue cutting out old fruited canes on raspberries.
Lift and pot up rooted strawberry runners. Prepare new strawberry beds for next year if not yet done. Tie in new growth on blackberries and hybrid berries. Complete summer pruning of restricted fruit trees such as cordon and espalier apples and pears.
Break in half the strongest young shoots on cobnuts and filberts this month to encourage a heavier crop of nuts. This technique is known as 'brutting'.
Continue to sow spring cabbage, turnips, Oriental vegetables and over wintering onions.
Water well during dry spells. We do not advise using grey household water on edible crops, but stored rainwater from a water butt is ideal.
Lift onions, shallots and garlic when ready. Plants should be harvested when the necks start to turn brown and papery, and bend over naturally. Regularly pick fast-maturing vegetables such as French beans, runner beans, courgettes, cucumbers and tomatoes, to prevent stringiness or toughness, and to encourage further cropping. Take cuttings of rosemary, bay and hyssop.
Cut back flowered herbs such as marjoram to encourage a second flush. To avoid carrot fly trouble, seedlings can be covered or potted up and put in a greenhouse, when it comes to thinning out. Other herbs can be potted up and taken into the house for convenient use over the autumn and winter.
Bulbs and Herbaceous Plants
Dead-head flowering plants regularly. Feed the soil with green manures/compost
In the Glasshouse and Conservatory
Watering! Particularly containers, and new plants - preferably with grey recycled water or stored rainwater. Cyclamen that have been resting over the summer can be started back into growth for winter blooms. Watering and careful replacement of the top layer of compost should be sufficient to ‘wake’ them.
Once they have put on 2.5cm (1in) growth, they can be taken into a cool room, only to be brought into a warm room in time to flower for the festive period. Bulbs sold as ‘prepared’ can be forced by plunging the planted bowls in a cold, dark place for a few months, then bringing them straight inside to flower.
Ponds
Keep ponds and water features topped up. Pile the removed pond weed by the side of the pond for 24 hours to allow pond life to crawl back into the water and then put on the compost heap. Aerate the water in hot sticky weather by leaving fountains on overnight. Shallow water features or those with water washing over cobbles can become green very quickly in summer weather. Algaecides may need applying more frequently than in normal ponds.
Clearing out fallen leaves and debris regularly will help to keep down algal growth, as there will be fewer nutrients available from rotting organic matter. Barley straw pads or extract may also be beneficial.
Collect seed from favourite plants. Prune Wisteria and shrubs such as Pyracantha after flowering. Hebe and lavenders can be given a light prune after flowering. Continue to deadhead shrubs, such as roses, to extend flowering into early autumn. Rambling roses can be pruned now, once they have finished flowering.
Thoroughly soak drought-stressed plants and shrubs, especially newly planted ones. Use grey, recycled or stored rain water wherever possible. Semi-ripe cuttings can still be taken to propagate many common garden shrubs (e.g. box, Ceanothus, lavender). Rhododendrons, azaleas and Clematis can be propagated by layering.
Flower border/Patio area
Don’t neglect hanging baskets - deadheading, watering and feeding will help them last through until autumn. Deadhead plants such as Dahlia, rose and Penstemon and bedding to prolong the display colour well into early autumn. Don't cut off the flower heads of ornamental grasses. These will provide winter interest.
Propagate irises by dividing the rhizomes if not done last month. Propagate perennials by dividing once they have finished flowering, but only in areas with some rain and duller weather, to avoid drying out problems.
Take cuttings of tender perennials such as Pelargonium and Osteospermum, as soon as possible. A greenhouse, cool conservatory or a light windowsill are ideal to bring them on until they are established.
Most perennial weeds are best dealt with when in active growth. Applying a weed killer containing Glyphosate during summer will ensure that the roots, as well as the top growth, are killed. However, Glyphosate is non-selective and plants you want to keep should avoided.
Roses
Dead head, Remove weeds, water during dry spells. Black spot on roses is very common at this time of year, and spraying will no longer be effective. Clear fallen leaves and burn them to prevent spread. Powdery mildew can be a problem in dry summers.
Climbing roses can be pruned once they have finished flowering; side-shoots from the main framework of branches are cut back to a couple of buds. Any dead, diseased or spindly growth is cut out and the new young shoots are tied in to the supports, from the base. If there is an old, thick and woody, unproductive stem, it can be removed from the base to stimulate more vigorous growth.
In the Vegetable and Fruit Garden
Don’t delay summer pruning restricted fruits. Harvest sweet-corn and other vegetables as they become ready. Continue cutting out old fruited canes on raspberries.
Lift and pot up rooted strawberry runners. Prepare new strawberry beds for next year if not yet done. Tie in new growth on blackberries and hybrid berries. Complete summer pruning of restricted fruit trees such as cordon and espalier apples and pears.
Break in half the strongest young shoots on cobnuts and filberts this month to encourage a heavier crop of nuts. This technique is known as 'brutting'.
Continue to sow spring cabbage, turnips, Oriental vegetables and over wintering onions.
Water well during dry spells. We do not advise using grey household water on edible crops, but stored rainwater from a water butt is ideal.
Lift onions, shallots and garlic when ready. Plants should be harvested when the necks start to turn brown and papery, and bend over naturally. Regularly pick fast-maturing vegetables such as French beans, runner beans, courgettes, cucumbers and tomatoes, to prevent stringiness or toughness, and to encourage further cropping. Take cuttings of rosemary, bay and hyssop.
Cut back flowered herbs such as marjoram to encourage a second flush. To avoid carrot fly trouble, seedlings can be covered or potted up and put in a greenhouse, when it comes to thinning out. Other herbs can be potted up and taken into the house for convenient use over the autumn and winter.
Bulbs and Herbaceous Plants
Dead-head flowering plants regularly. Feed the soil with green manures/compost
In the Glasshouse and Conservatory
Watering! Particularly containers, and new plants - preferably with grey recycled water or stored rainwater. Cyclamen that have been resting over the summer can be started back into growth for winter blooms. Watering and careful replacement of the top layer of compost should be sufficient to ‘wake’ them.
Once they have put on 2.5cm (1in) growth, they can be taken into a cool room, only to be brought into a warm room in time to flower for the festive period. Bulbs sold as ‘prepared’ can be forced by plunging the planted bowls in a cold, dark place for a few months, then bringing them straight inside to flower.
Ponds
Keep ponds and water features topped up. Pile the removed pond weed by the side of the pond for 24 hours to allow pond life to crawl back into the water and then put on the compost heap. Aerate the water in hot sticky weather by leaving fountains on overnight. Shallow water features or those with water washing over cobbles can become green very quickly in summer weather. Algaecides may need applying more frequently than in normal ponds.
Clearing out fallen leaves and debris regularly will help to keep down algal growth, as there will be fewer nutrients available from rotting organic matter. Barley straw pads or extract may also be beneficial.
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