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Writer's pictureSarah Kay

My top five gardening jobs this August.

With upcoming holidays and warm, dry weather, now is the time to ensure that your garden can get througn the Summer looking it's best. Here's my top five jobs to keep you busy in the garden this August.


Purple and yellow rambling rose

  1. Prune Rambling Roses

Now is the time to prune rambling roses. If they have filled their alloted space then remove 1/3 of the oldest stems completely. In restricted space prune out all the stems that have flowered and tie in new ones. Shorten side shoots by 2/3.


2. Take softwood cuttings from Penstemons


Plant cuttings in a plastic pot

Take softwood cuttings from Penstemons. Choose a non flowering stems and cut about 10 - 15cm then remove the bottom leaves. Put in the side of a pot in a gritty compost. The images above show ones I've taken a few weeks ago.


3. Summer Prune trained apples and pears


Espalier apple tree with salvia against a rusted steel trellis

Summer prune trained apples and pears now.

1. Cut back new shoots to 3 leaves but don't prune new shoots shorter than 20cm as they usually have fruit buds.

2. Cut back new shoots growing from existing side shoots to one leaf above a basal cluster (3/4 leaves growing closely together at the base of this season's growth.

3. Remove any vigorous upright growth.


4. Dead head flowers


Flower bed with pink and purple flowers

Dead head flowers like Geraniums, Echinachea and Salvias to keep the blooms coming.


5. Top up ponds and water features


Water can evaporate very quickly in this heat so make sure that you top up the pond, ideally with rainwater.

Wildlife pond in a tin bath

Happy Gardening!

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