OUTDOORLIVING
YOUR GARDEN THIS MONTH :
AUGUST
TOP 10 JOBS THIS MONTH
1 . Prune wisteria 2 . Don ’ t delay summer pruning fruits trained as restricted forms 3 . Deadhead flowering plants regularly 4 . Watering ! Particularly containers and new plants , preferably with grey recycled water or stored rainwater 5 . Collect seed from garden plants 6 . Harvest sweetcorn and other vegetables as they become ready 7 . Continue cutting out old fruited canes on raspberries 8 . Lift and pot up rooted strawberry runners 9 . Keep ponds and water features topped up 10 . Feed the soil with green manures
DEADHEAD BEDDING PLANTS AND REPEAT- FLOWERING PERENNIALS
Most flowers lose their attraction as they fade , spoiling the overall appearance of beds , borders and containers , and are best removed . However , there are other reasons .
Regular deadheading directs energy into stronger growth and more flowers . Once the flowers are pollinated , seed heads , pods or capsules form at the expense of further growth and flower development . It can prevent plants with numerous petals such as peonies , some camellias and many roses , scattering debris widely .
COLLECT SEED FROM GARDEN PLANTS
Harvesting your own seed is fun but takes a little understanding and planning :
• Collect ripe seed on a dry day , as soon as the seedheads ( e . g . capsules or pods ) ripen . This is often indicated by a colour change from green to brown , black or red , but must be before they open and shed their contents .
• Pick the seedheads , either singly or on stalks , and lay them out to dry on a greenhouse bench , warm windowsill or in an airing cupboard . This enables seed to be more easily extracted from pods , cones or capsules .
• If they don ’ t open when dry , gently crush pods and capsules to release the seed .
• Collect seed from fleshy fruits and berries by mashing them in a fine sieve and then rinsing away the pulp in cold water . Leave the seed to dry for a few days on paper towels .
• Exploding seedheads need checking every few days . Place a bag over them and shake – this will usually cause the ripe seedheads to explode into the bag . Alternatively , remove the seedheads on their stems as they turn brown and place in a labelled paper bag .
• Nuts should be collected around the time they would naturally fall either by hand picking , or by placing a sheet at the base of the tree and shaking the branches until they fall .
• After extracting the seed , clean off any surrounding material ( chaff ) attached to them , as this material could rot and lead to the seed damping off . Chaff can harbour moulds , pests and diseases .
KEEP PONDS AND WATER FEATURES TOPPED UP
• Water evaporates during windy or hot weather , leading to the water level dropping . The reduced surface area can be damaging for fish as there ’ s less oxygen available , so top up the pond if necessary . Ideally use
rainwater from a butt as tap water is rich in nutrients that causes algae to prosper .
• If you do have to use tap water and you keep fish , add the tap water gradually in small amounts to prevent the cold liquid shocking the fish in the pond .
• On hot , humid nights , spray water over the surface of the pool from a hose to break the surface and improve oxygen levels in the water . Alternatively , install or turn on a water feature to keep the surface bubbling gently .
• Floating weeds can quickly cover the surface of a pond if left unchecked , so twirl these out with a stick or use a net to scoop them out . Leave weeds and algae on the side of the pond overnight , so that larger creatures can return to the water . Rinsing the material in a bucket of pond water can help release smaller creatures which can then be returned to the pond .
The RHS is a UK charity established to share the best in gardening . Their work is driven by a simple love of plants and the belief that gardeners make the world a better place .
For more information visit www . rhs . org . uk
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