It’s All a Question of When – August in the Garden

The right jobs at the right time keep your garden thriving. August is a busy month in the garden. The heat of summer has settled in, plants are in full growth, and if you’re lucky, you’re enjoying armfuls of produce from your kitchen garden. But now isn’t the time to sit back entirely—there are still plenty of seasonal jobs that will help keep everything looking fresh, productive, and healthy.

Here’s what I’m focusing on this month:

✂️ Cutting Back Spent Perennials

By August, many perennials will have given their best show. Cutting back spent growth helps tidy borders and encourages some plants—like hardy geraniums or delphiniums—to produce a second flush of flowers before autumn. It also stops energy being wasted on seed production.

🌹 Deadheading Roses – The 5-Leaf Rule

Roses need a little extra attention now. Deadhead regularly to encourage repeat flowering, but remember the 5-leaf rule: cut back to just above a leaf with five leaflets, not three. This encourages strong new shoots and healthier blooms for the weeks ahead.

🌸 Containers Need Love Too

If you’ve got hanging baskets or pots overflowing with colour, don’t forget to deadhead these too. A quick tidy keeps them blooming for longer, especially if you add a weekly liquid feed. It makes all the difference between tired-looking pots and those that dazzle into autumn.

🌱 Keep on Top of Weeds – Mulch is Your Friend

Weeds grow quickly in the warmth of August. A little and often approach works best—regular hoeing or hand-pulling before they set seed. Mulching beds with compost or bark not only helps keep weeds down but also conserves moisture during hot spells.

💧 Irrigation – How Much and When?

Watering can be tricky in August. Too little, and plants wilt; too much, and roots can rot. Aim for a deep soak once or twice a week rather than light, frequent watering. Always water early morning or late evening to reduce evaporation. Pots, baskets, and thirsty crops like courgettes or tomatoes may need daily attention in the heat.

🥕 Enjoying the Kitchen Garden

This is the month to celebrate the fruits of your labour. Courgettes, beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, and soft fruits are all in abundance. Keep harvesting regularly—it encourages plants to produce more. Nothing beats the taste of homegrown produce straight from garden to plate.

🌱 Sowing in August – Looking Ahead

While it feels late in the season, August is still a great time for sowing—especially if you have a greenhouse.

1. For quick crops, try spinach, lettuce, salad onions, and microgreens.

2. For later harvests, sow broad beans, onions, shallots, garlic, and hardy herbs.

3. With a heated propagator, you can also get a head start on next year by sowing tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers for planting later.

This staggered approach keeps your garden productive long after summer fades.

🌼 The Joy of Timing

So much of gardening is about rhythm and timing. Knowing when to cut back, water, sow, or simply enjoy your crops keeps the cycle going season after season. For me, August is one of the most rewarding months—a mixture of harvest and preparation for what’s to come.

Need a hand keeping on top of seasonal jobs?

I offer tailored garden maintenance, planting advice, and even half-day sessions working alongside you in your garden. Based near Kettering, I cover Wellingborough, Desborough, Finedon, Kibworth Beauchamp, Great Glen, Fleckney, Thurnby & Bushby, and Kilby.