This is the AUGUST installment of Horticulture Week's month-by-month guide to essential maintenance and management tasks for parks, gardens and grounds maintenance staff.
Office
- Update pesticide records
- Update sowing records
- Organise holiday cover as needed
- Investigate snow clearing equipment for winter
General
- Control weeds, pests and diseases
- Spot treat perennial weeds
- Water as needed
- Top up mulches
- Take advantage of dry spells to renovate and preserve timber fencing and furniture
- Trees, shrubs and hedges
- Trim hedges regularly
- Continue deadheading roses
- Prune rambling roses after flowering
- Continue taking semi-ripe cuttings of shrubs
- Layer rhododendrons and azaleas
Beds and borders
- Deadhead faded flowers
- Cut back spreading and collapsing perennials
- Start dividing perennials towards the end of the month
- Cut back hardy geraniums
- Collect seed from perennials
- Trim lavender
- Set earwig traps in chrysanthemum and dahlia displays
- Take cuttings of penstemons
- Take cuttings of fuchsias and other tender perennials
Wall plants
- Complete wisteria pruning
- Layer clematis
Bulbs
- Plant daffodils and narcissi towards the end of the month
- Plant Lilium candidum
- Pot Christmas flowering bulbs
Containers
- Continue watering and feeding
Greenhouses and conservatories
- Check heating systems and service if required
- Damp down during hot weather
- Continue ventilating but be ready to close them at nights
- Remove shading towards the end of the month
Water features
- Top up levels as necessary
- Thin out overgrown plants
- Inspect regularly for algae bloom and treat accordingly
*Jobs should only be undertaken when ground and weather conditions are suitable and will vary according to location and may vary significantly from year to year. And remember that while the year nicely divides into 12 months, activities often overlap.
