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Noah Mabey
Don't forget to trim your lavender this August - plus four more essential pruning jobs to do this month
Discussing which plants to prune and deadhead this August, Noah Mabey, Senior Gardener at Thornbridge Hall and Horticultural Advisor to Platinum Spas said,
"August is all about making the most of everything you've worked towards over the last few months. The garden is full of colour, fruit and wildlife, but a few simple maintenance jobs now will keep it looking beautiful well into autumn."
"It's also one of my favourite months to simply sit back and enjoy the garden. Spend time outside, watch the bees and butterflies visiting your flowers, and take pride in everything you've grown."
Keep Deadheading for More Flowers
"Many flowering plants will naturally start putting their energy into producing seed during August, so it's important to keep deadheading if you want continuous blooms."
"By removing spent flowers, you're encouraging plants to keep flowering instead of producing seed, helping borders, pots and hanging baskets stay colourful for much longer."
Give Lavender Its Annual Trim
"Once your lavender has finished flowering, it's time to give it a light trim to keep it compact and bushy."
"Always cut back this year's soft growth, but avoid cutting into the older woody stems as lavender doesn't recover well from hard pruning."
"Rather than throwing the flower stems away, I like to dry a few bunches and hang them in my greenhouse and kitchen so I can continue enjoying their fragrance long after summer has finished."
Take Semi-Ripe Cuttings
"August is also one of the best months to take semi-ripe cuttings, making it easy to grow new plants for free."
"Plants such as lavender, rosemary, salvias, penstemons and hydrangeas all root well from semi-ripe cuttings taken now. Simply select healthy, non-flowering shoots, remove the lower leaves and place them into a gritty compost mix. With a little patience, you'll have strong young plants ready for next year."
Support Roses and Enjoy Their Rose Hips
"Keep tying in long new rose stems during August to stop them being damaged by strong winds. I only tie them loosely at this stage before training them properly during winter."
"Continue deadheading repeat-flowering roses, but if you have rambling varieties that produce attractive rose hips, consider leaving a few flowers. The hips provide beautiful colour and interest throughout autumn and winter, especially after the first frosts."
Refresh Tired Perennials
"If plants like nepeta or hardy geraniums are beginning to look untidy after their first flush of flowers, don't be afraid to cut them back."
"Trim them back to the fresh growth emerging from the base of the plant and many varieties will reward you with fresh foliage and another display of flowers later in the season."
For further gardening tips, visit the Noah and Platinum Spas’ gardening calendar, for year round advice.
Noah Mabey, Senior Gardener at Thornbridge Hall and Horticultural Advisor
