Harvest fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers
for the house during this bountiful month
In your garden
this month...
Feature and photos
Louise Midgley
what to do in the flower garden
Gardening tasks in the flower garden are
far less strenuous in summer than during
spring and autumn, so take advantage of
this quiet time by putting your feet up and
appreciating all the beautiful flora and fauna
that’s abundant this month.
Easy jobs to tackle when you have a spare
moment or two include summer pruning
wisteria (it will need doing again in February).
Cut back all the long whippy shoots that will
have sprouted like bean stalks since flowering
(above right). If your plant is relatively young,
keep any that are needed to extend the main
framework and prune the surplus shoots back to
about five leaves. This pruning technique is done
to encourage the formation of flower buds next
spring (left) rather than a mass of foliage.
Take cuttings of Penstemons, Fuchsias,
Salvias and Pelargoniums not just toincrease your stock but as an
insurance against a hard winter.
By the time the cold weather arrives
they should have developed good
root growth and can be over-wintered
in a heated greenhouse or a
cool conservatory.
Collect ripened seeds from
annuals and perennials on a dry
day (top right). Leave them in a warm
place to thoroughly dry out, an airing
cupboard or sunny window sill would
work. Put the seeds in labelled paper
envelopes inside airtight containers
and store in the fridge until spring.
Give your shed a makeover with
a fresh coat of paint and, while
you are waiting for it to dry, sort out
the contents (right).✓
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Image
iBulb
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114 August 2019 http://www.yourhomemagazine.co.uk