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The Summer Season
Seasonal Tips: August Garden Care
Use our seasonal gardening checklist to stay organised and make the most of your time outdoors
Shape late‑summer hedges: Trim conifers, privet, hornbeam and beech before autumn growth slows. Shred clippings for compost or mulch.
Check container moisture: Pots dry quickly in late‑August warmth. Water deeply whenever the top few centimetres feel dry.
Upgrade your watering setup: Drip kits, soaker hoses and multi‑pattern spray lances deliver water straight to the roots with minimal waste.
Feed hungry crops: Tomatoes, peppers and courgettes benefit from a weekly high‑potash feed to support late fruiting.
Support tall perennials: Stake asters, rudbeckias and heleniums to prevent storm damage and keep borders tidy.
Harvest and prune herbs: Regular picking of mint, basil and chives encourages fresh new growth.
Watch for wilting in new plants: Newly planted trees and shrubs need deep watering at the base during dry spells. Mulch well to protect roots.
Deadleaf spent growth: Remove yellowing hosta leaves and spent bedding flowers to prevent disease and tidy displays.
Refresh tired containers: Swap fading summer bedding for autumn‑hardy plants and fresh peat‑free compost to keep patios looking lively.
The Chelsea Chop
A late‑May trim keeps tall perennials compact, upright, and flowering longer.
How to do it: Cut back one‑third to one‑half of each stem. Chop the whole plant or just part of it for staggered flowering.
Plants to chop: Sedum, phlox, asters, helinium, rudbeckia, echinacea, monarda, campanula, nepeta, veronica
