August is usually the lie back and enjoy month in the garden.
This year however most crops are ready for picking and storing, even blackberries are ready! Should make for an easier Winter though.
If you have not completed summer pruning, cut all leaders back by half, spurs and side shoots to 6” of fruit trees.
Dig up and store potatoes to stop slugs and the like eating them. Put them in paper or sack style bags and keep in the dark. You can still or probably only now, find winter veg plants, put in asap and keep well watered until they are established. Runner and French beans are fabulous this year try not to let too many get over ripe, you can always freeze blanched produce for later use. Same applies to plums and the like, we may not get such a bumper year again for a while.
With such good growing conditions, sow salad items, carrots, beetroot and the like they will give a good return for the winter if not of huge size.
Keep dead heading flowering plants for a continuous display and don’t be too keen to cut the grass in dry weather, let it grow a little longer it saves effort and you will not wear out patches so much that have to be re-sown or replaced later. It is also a good time to cut back rampant hedges and if you have a pond, keep clearing out old lily flowers and leaves. If you leave them in, they will rot and clog up the water.
Enjoy the good weather and enjoy the fruits of you hard work during the year.
Till next time!
Greenish Fingers.