What to do in your Garden this Month 

Be bold with bulbs : 

• Plant summer-flowering bulbs and rhizomes like gladiolus, lilies, watsonias and dahlias.
• Feed any spring-flowering bulbs that have started flowering with bulb food.
• Cut off faded flowers from daffodils and feed fortnightly with 3:1:5 until the leaves turn brown. The fertiliser will encourage the development of next year’s flowers in the bulb.
• Pick ranunculus and anemones regularly to encourage the growth of new flowers. If you pick them while they are still buds they will last longer as cut flowers. 

Feeding time : 

• August is a good month to give all the plants in your garden a good feed to encourage robust growth in spring. Up to 60% of a plant’s annual growth occurs in spring, so it’s important that they’re well nourished in advance.
• Feed fuchsias with a high nitrogen fertiliser like 8:1:5 to promote leafy growth.
• Start a blueing programme for your hydrangeas by watering in 25g of aluminium sulphate at the roots of each bush every two weeks.
• Cut off any dead or diseased wood on shrubs. Water well and fertilise with 3:1:5. 

Tend to your perennials : 

• Lift and divide perennials. Discard the old centre section and replant the outer sections in well composted soil.
• Prune your roses (if you haven’t already done so) before the new spring shoots appear.
• Pinch out growing tips on clematis to encourage bushier growth and more flowers.
• Cut back bougainvilleas once they stop flowering. Feed with 3:1:5 and water well. Stop watering and feeding as soon as new buds appear to encourage the plant to flower.