The 3 Most Important Gardening Jobs in August
Pruning, planting and maintenance: Amateur gardeners have a long to-do list in August. Here we present the three most important gardening jobs for this month.
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In the summer, cut back Lavender by around a third after flowering
Amateur gardeners have plenty of work on their hands in August. Pruning ornamental gardens and fruit trees is one of the main jobs. And if you want to harvest delicious berries next year, August is the time to put some plants down. Now is the time for shrub bed maintenance.
Pruning is one of the most important gardening jobs in August. Keep Lavender nice and compact by cutting the subshrub back by around a third after flowering in August. Make sure to remove all withered inflorescences, but the leafy branch sections largely remain on the plant. Between mid-August and early September, fast-growing hedge plants such as Privets, beech, and Hornbeam can be cut back into shape.
Now is also the time to prune fruit trees. To help Sour Cherries retain their fertility and a compact crown, cut off all harvested shoots directly above the first lateral branching. It is also advisable to prune fast-growing Apple trees and Pear trees in August once the terminal buds are fully developed on the shoot tips. Thin out all long shoots that are too dense or grow inwards and upwards.
It is advisable to plant Strawberries in early August so that they successfully take root by fall. They feel most at home in full sun and deep, humus-rich soils. A note of caution: Strawberries should only be cultivated in the same place for around four years. Allow for a distance of around 8 to 12 inches between plants in the row and at least 24 inches between rows.
You can also plant Blueberries in August or September. Plants in the heather family need humus-rich, lime-free, evenly moist soils. For a longer harvest period, you can plant several varieties with different ripening times. The planting hole should have a diameter of around 30 inches and be between 12 and 16 inches deep.
In perennial gardens, maintenance work is very high on the to-do list in August. If start to flower less, it is a good idea to divide large rhizome clumps between August and October. When fade, the leaves often turn brown and become unsightly. Cut back the shoots of early blooming daylily species and varieties to 3.94 to 5.91 inches above the ground and fresh leaves will appear in two to three weeks. If you want to prevent phlox and columbine from self-seeding, you should remove the withered stems in good time. To make sure the tall inflorescences of Delphinium, yarrow, or Heliopsis do not bend, you can use ring supports as reinforcement.
