Roses

Remember to check roses regularly for pests and blackspot and other diseases, and spray if necessary with a recommended fungicide and/or insecticide. And if your garden is in need of some flower power, roses are the perfect solution. We have plenty of quality potted roses in stock.

 

Garden games

If your family is already getting bored of the summer holidays, entertain them in the safety of your own garden. We stock an excellent range of garden games and other equipment to turn parts of your garden into a fun playground.

 

Pruning

Many summer-flowering plants that have finished flowering can be cut back now and may produce further flushes of flowers. After pruning give the plants a quick pick-me-up by watering on a high potash liquid feed. Don’t forget to pick up any pruning tools you need before leaving.

 

Lawn preparation for September

September is the best time to sow a new lawn or lay turf, but it pays to prepare the area now. To beat perennial weeds, spray with a weedkiller containing glyphosate. Once the turf has been removed, work over the soil to a depth of 9 inches with a fork and spade, removing weed roots and large stones, and incorporating compost or composted bark. Rake and level the soil, walk over it to settle it, rake again and then leave it bare to allow weed seeds to germinate. These can be sprayed or hoed off ready for sowing or turfing next month.

 

Vine Weevil

Judging by the number of comments we get, vine weevil is still the number one pest for gardeners at this time of year.They tend to lay their eggs in late summer and early autumn so protect vulnerable plants that are growing in pots – such as begonias, fuchsias, cyclamen and sedums with Bio Provado Vine Weevil Killer now. And Provado also protects plants from many insect pests that attack the leaves as well. Using biological control nematodes is another quick and easy solution. And you can also help prevent the adult beetles laying their eggs in the first place by mulching around your plants with a 1 inch thick layer of sharp grit.

 

Ericaceous plants

Rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas will be setting their flower buds for next year, so it’s important that they never go short of water at this time of year or the flower buds may fail next spring. Feeding will also produce more and better flowers. Mulching with bark or similar products will help maintain soil moisture levels and insulate the roots from damaging high temperatures.

 

Watering
Make sure your plants produce a display to be proud of by giving them just the right amount of water they need. Well-established plants may not need regular watering but newly planted ones, bedding plants and plants in containers will need regular watering. Just ask any of our friendly staff for advice on products that will make your watering quick and easy this summer.

 

Planning autumn planting

Start planning that new border. Look for plants with a long flowering period and those that have two or more seasons of interest with flowers, fruit, colourful stems and interesting foliage. Choose plants with different foliage colours and shapes, and remember that while evergreens help bring structure and winter interest they may need livening up with deciduous plants. Use winter and spring bedding plants to increase the seasons of interest, and plant bulbs for extra splashes of colour.

 

Vegetables

The harvesting season is now in full swing now, so make sure you pick crops that are ready. Leave them too long and they’ll lose flavour and tenderness. Now’s a good time to sow endive, radish, spring cabbage for next year, winter varieties of spinach and maincrop turnips. Having spent lots of time and effort growing your fruit and veg to perfection, protect it with fleece or small-mesh plastic netting – or, if you have a large area, put up a fruit cage.

 

Pest watch

Pests and diseases thrive in hot weather, so check plants regularly for tell-tale signs. Mildews and red spider mite are always worse in warm, dry conditions and these can soon get out of control. Earwigs eat the leaves and flower buds on plants like clematis, dahlias and chrysanthemums, and even slugs and snails can be on the prowl at this time of year. If your plants have a problem, just ask one of our friendly staff to help you choose a suitable product to deal with it.

Cuttings

Although most people take cuttings from their half-hardy perennial bedding plants in September, it’s a good idea to take them now. But why is that? August is the best time to take cuttings from half-hardy bedding plants such as fuchsias, pelargoniums, osteospermums, marguerites, trailing petunias and the like because it’s important to get a good sized plant to survive the winter. And, if you do get some failures you can have another go in September! For best results take cuttings from non-flowering shoots, but if you can’t find any, cut back a few stems hard first and take cuttings from the re-growth. Choose healthy shoots about 4 inches long. Trim them just below a leaf. Remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting and dip the cut end in hormone rooting powder or liquid. Then insert four or five cuttings up to their lowest leaves in pots of moist cuttings compost. Cover the pots with a polythene bag or with a propagator lid and place somewhere warm and sheltered but out of strong, direct sunlight. Keep the compost moist by spraying it. The cuttings should be ready to pot on into 3 inch pots in a couple of weeks.

 

Outdoor living

Gardens are for enjoying – and the summer is the best time to do it. So make sure you sit back, relax and enjoy your garden this year from the comfort of your own garden furniture. Or entertain friends and family with a slap-up barbecue. And if you plan to stay out late add some easy-to-install garden lighting. We have everything you need and plenty of ideas to ensure you get the most enjoyment from your garden this summer – just ask, we’re here to help.

Spring Flowering bulbs

Start planting up some spring bulbs. We have lots in store to choose from, including favourites such as daffodils and crocuses, and something rather grander, such as crown imperials. For colour now, add evergreen shrubs such as rosemary and euonymus, winterflowering pansies and primroses to give you interest through autumn and winter.

 

Furniture

There’s still plenty of time to really enjoy your garden this summer. Make the most of it by investing in a new furniture set – perhaps you need something with more chairs and a bigger table – or a large parasol to create extra shade. Or how about a swing seat or hammock to relax in? And remember to pick up any care products you need for wooden furniture.

 

Rhododendrons & Azaleas

Every spring we get customers who say their rhododendrons and azaleas haven’t flowered. But now’s the time to do something about it. Rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas all set their flower buds for the next year now. They can soon become short of water and then the flower buds don’t set properly. This means that next spring the buds will either fall off or not develop properly. So make sure you give them a really good soaking before the soil starts to dry out. Mulching the plants with bark, composted bark or similar will help too. And don’t forget to feed with a rhododendron fertiliser. Liquid ones act quicker and are a better bet in dry weather.

 

Planted Containers

If your garden’s starting to look a bit jaded, inject some autumn colour with containers. Plant them up yourself with favourites such as pansies, evergreen shrubs such as euonymus, and underplanted with spring-flowering bulbs. Or make it really easy by taking home our ready-planted containers.

 

Plants of the month

Keep the summer colour going with our plants of the month. There’s plenty to choose from including roses, fuchsias, penstemon, lavatera, hydrangea, caryopteris, phygelius, and perovskia, and dozens of different herbaceous perennials. Ensure your garden’s a riot of colour and get planting today. Just ask any of our plant staff for help, advice and ideas.

 

Vegetables

There’s nothing that tastes better than homegrown veg! One of the most important things is to harvest vegetables before they go past their best or they’ll lose their flavour and tenderness. Pick what you need when you need it, or store any excess in a cool place or, better still, in the fridge. And of course most vegetables can also be frozen too. And make sure plants never go short of water. Feeding with a high potash liquid fertiliser will help maintain that flavour and help protect overwintering crops from severe weather. And remember as well to hand weed or hoe between the rows. If you're looking for crops to harvest later in the year you should sow endive, radish, spring cabbage for next year, winter varieties of spinach, maincrop turnips and even a winter crop of lettuce.

Why not download our .PDF file for our August Hints and Tips