Hello from all of us at Hilltop Garden Centre! Can you believe it's already August? While some parts of the garden are slowing down, there’s still plenty to enjoy – and a few important jobs to tick off. Whether you’re a seasoned green-fingered pro or you’re just pottering around when time allows, we’ve got you covered with easy gardening tips for August. Grab a cuppa and let’s dive in…
What to plant this month
August is a great month for getting a head start on autumn colour and even a few winter harvests. If you're wondering what to plant this month, here are a few easy and rewarding ideas:
- Salvia - these beautiful and delicate perennials love a sunny spot and are drought tolerant. Plant with Rocket Gro multi-purpose compost with added John Innes for the best results.
- Japanese Anemones - a wonderful late summer flowering perennial that is really easy to grow and spreads, producing more plants for free!
- Asters - flowering between summer and late autumn, and come in an array of beautiful colours.
- Rudbeckias - loving full sun, these bright and sunny plants are guaranteed to bring a welcome splash of colour to your garden this month and beyond.
Keep watering – but make it count
After the (what seemed like) continuous sunshine and distinct lack of rainfall over the past few weeks, it’s no surprise that our gardens are suffering a little from lack of water. To help your plants thrive this August (a month that can also be very hot and dry here in Essex), water either early in the morning or later in the evening when the sun’s not as strong – this reduces evaporation and helps the water reach the roots.
Top tip: A good soak once or twice a week is better than a little sprinkle every day. We do recommend that you water annuals, pots, and hanging baskets every day, especially in very dry weather.
If you've been thinking about adding a layer of mulch on your beds we highly recommend it as it reduces the amount of watering you need to do, helps to prevent evaporation, and keeps the moisture in the soil (and in your plants where it needs to be).
Weed, tidy, and deadhead
This month is all about keeping things looking fresh. Keep deadheading flowering plants like roses, cosmos and dahlias to encourage more blooms and prevent them going to seed too soon.
While you're out in the garden:
- Trim back any leggy or straggly growth.
- Remove any leaves with signs of pests or disease.
- Cut back lavender once it's finished flowering – just avoid cutting into the woody stems.
- Remove weeds before they take hold and get out of hand!
These small jobs make a big difference to how your garden looks and how long your flowers will keep going.
Off on holiday this month? Here’s how to keep your plants happy
Heading away for a well-earned break? Just don’t forget about your garden while you’re sipping cocktails by the pool! To stop your plants from throwing a wobbly in your absence, give everything a deep soak before you leave – ideally in the early morning or late evening to reduce evaporation. Move pots into shadier spots to help them retain moisture, and group them together to create a mini microclimate. You can also sit pots in a watering tray or other containers you may have (like an old chocolate tin for example) filled with water to give the plants a few extra days of moisture.
For extra peace of mind, invest in a simple watering system or ask a neighbour or family member to pop by and give them a water. If you're growing veggies, a layer of mulch (like bark or compost) can help lock in moisture while you're away. Your plants will thank you for it – and so will your future harvests!
Grow your own potatoes for Christmas!
Yes, you read that right – you can plant potatoes in August and harvest them in time for Christmas dinner! We’ve got a great range of British-grown seed potatoes new in this month at our garden centre in Clacton-on-Sea, perfect for planting right now.
For best results, plant your seed potatoes in the ground or in a potato growing bag using Rocket Gro organic fruit & veg compost – it’s packed with nutrients and totally peat-free, plus its produced right here in the UK. Growing bags are ideal if you’re short on space, have a balcony, or just want an easy harvest without digging.
Get them in the ground (or the bag!) now and keep them frost-free come November – and you’ll be serving home-grown roasties on Christmas Day. What could be better?
What to harvest (and grow) this month
If you grow your own, you’ll be busy harvesting this month – tomatoes, beans, courgettes, cucumbers, salad leaves, and more. Keep picking regularly to encourage further cropping.
You can also start sowing hardy veg for autumn and winter:
- Spring cabbage
- Kale
- Pak choi
- Spinach
- Winter salads like lamb’s lettuce
Sow little and often so you’re not overwhelmed, and use raised beds, containers or even growbags if you’re short on space.
Assess if your garden is working for you (or against you)
If you’re more about relaxing than raking, August is a great time to see what’s working in your garden – and what could make your life easier. If you're on the hunt for something with a little less legwork, look out at Hilltop for low-maintenance perennials and ground cover plants like:
- Hardy geraniums
- Sedums
- Heucheras
- Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’
Sedums are one of our favourites, that's why they're our Plant of the Month this August! They’ll keep going with minimal effort and look fantastic for months, flowering all summer and into autumn. Just plant them up using Rocket Gro's Herb & Alpine compost in a sunny spot and you're good to go. Sedums (or Stonecrop) are a deciduous perennial so although they will lose their leaves during the dormant season, they will come back year after year.
Add a bench or bistro set to a sunny corner, and your garden becomes an instant retreat. (We’ve also got some fab outdoor furniture deals in-store this month if you’re tempted!)
Watch out for wildlife
While you're enjoying the garden, keep an eye out for visitors. Bees and butterflies are still active, and they’ll love any late-summer blooms you can offer. Try verbena bonariensis, echinacea, and rudbeckia as pollinators absolutely love them.
Don’t forget to top up water for birds and hedgehogs, especially during dry spells – a shallow dish is all it takes.
Fancy getting hand-on at our gardening workshop?
Our lovely plants expert Carmel has a couple of spaces left on her workshop at the end of this month. If you've ever wanted to learn how to propagate plants (get plants for free), then you're going to want to save your spot. The workshop will also cover mulching and composting (getting compost for free), and she'll be talking about getting your garden ready for winter. The workshop will run on Saturday 30th August, from 10am-2pm, and you'll get to take the plants you've worked with home! Find out more about the workshop here.
It's just £39.99 to take part, and the knowledge you'll gain from our plants expert will be invaluable. Book your spot when you pop in to our garden centre or give us a call on 01255 831083 to speak to a member of our team - but don't leave it too long!
Visit Us at Hilltop Garden Centre
We hope these August gardening tips have inspired you to enjoy your outdoor space this month – whether you’re harvesting dinner, planting for winter, or just sitting back with a cold drink and soaking it all in.
Don’t forget, our team is always here with friendly advice and expert knowledge. So pop in to your local Essex garden centre and say hello – whether you need compost, containers, or a cuppa at our garden centre with café, we’d love to see you!
