GARDENING COLUMN
A GARDEN HOLIDAY
AUGUSTis usually the month when most of us go on holiday and leave our gardens to fend for themselves.
A little thought before you go and some tender loving care when you return will be enough to make sure that you can go away without worrying about all of your hard gardening work going to waste.
While you are away and your garden is left unattended, many of your plants may suffer due to lack of water. Make sure, before you go, you either arrange to have your containers and baskets watered, or set up a system that can supply water on a regular basis to your tubs and baskets. Move any baskets and containers out of full sun to a position where they are shaded at the height of the day. Stand terracotta pots on gravel trays topped up with water, so the pots can gradually absorb the reservoir of liquid or alternatively make a few holes in the lid of a plastic water bottle, cut off the bottom of the bottle, turn upside down into the plant compost and then fill with water (which slowly drips into the soil).
You can apply the same watering principles to your veg patch as well. August (and September) is a month of gathering, harvesting, bottling and jam making for all ‘Grow Your Own’ gardeners.
However, if the weather is good, you can still sow quick maturing salad crops such as lettuce, radish, rocket and chicory in troughs and containers. All of which go well with tomatoes – which are now ready to be picked straight from the vine. Some of the tastiest and easiest tomatoes to grow are Moneymaker, Tumbling Tom and Tigeralla. Moneymaker is an old fashioned, salad tomato that produces reliable crops of medium-sized red tomatoes with good flavour; Tumbling Tom is perfect for containers or hanging baskets, producing an abundance of small, super-sweet cherry tomatoes that are great for salads or eating straight off the plant; and Tigeralla, well suited to colder climates, will give you a good quantity of distinctive medium sized red tomatoes with orange and yellow stripes.
Another harvest for August is herbs. For a steady supply of fresh herbs through the winter cut the younger leaves now, rinse in clean water and, after putting them in a plastic bag, place in the freezer. There is no need to chop them up, simply crush them gently when frozen and use as required. This includes Basil – the perfect herb for use in tomato dishes and also as an aromatic herbal tea. Basil is a member of the mint family, and basil tea can be served after meals to help digestion and is also a great source of vitamin K, especially dried basil leaves. A lemon basil tea smells amazing!
In addition to harvesting and watering other top tips from the RHS for August jobs in the garden include:
- Dead head flowering plants regularly
- Prune wisteria
- Prune rambling roses once they have finished flowering
- Collect seed from garden plants
- Harvest vegetables when they become ready
- Lift and pot up rooted strawberry runners
- Keep ponds and water features topped up
- Improve the soil with green manures
- Feed containers and border perennials with a liquid tomato food to encourage early autumn blooms
- Water containers and new plants, with grey recycled water or rainwater if possible
And finally …
“August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time.” Sylvia Plath.
