Cookham Discussion Board

August Jobs

Continue deadheading all faded blooms. Even if the plants won’t flower again, deadheading saves them wasting energy on producing unwanted seed-heads unless you would like to save the seedheads for the birds or for saving for yourself.

Summer prune your wisteria and this will improve next year’s flowering.

Bindweed, my nemesis, will be in flower this month. Their white trumpets in my opinion look attractive but now is a good time to tackle this pesky weed. Follow the long tendrils to their source and remove as much root as you can. Just a tiny bit of root left will come back next year. I have decided that like ground ivy once you have it, it is there for life.

Prune rambling roses once they have finished flowering.

Sweet peas will be coming to an end soon but the more you pick and feed them, the longer they’ll keep going. Picking them every day makes them flower and flower. They are also really lovely in the house and many have a lovely smell. Unfortunately they do not last too long once picked, but there are always more to be picked.

Parsley and other herbs sown now will mean that you have a fresh supply for the winter. You could prepare some to keep on the windowsill in the house.

Aubergines will be ready this month. Pick them when they are firm and nice and shiny.

Sow hardy annuals in situ and they’ll bloom early next year.

Hardy geraniums will be looking messy now, so cut them back and you’ll get some fresh new growth.

Help tomatoes to ripen by removing any leaves that are shading the fruits from the sun and by regularly feeding. Keep removing side shoots. You can always make green tomato chutney if they have not ripened as the weather gets cooler.