Jobs / Tips

    August is the main time that people go on holiday of course and so with the garden more needy of regular attention than at any other time of year - it gets abandoned, what to do? The obvious solution is to get a friend, relative or neighbour to come round.

Give trees and shrubs that have been planted in the soil a really thorough watering before you go, about a bucketful each.

Place all of your containers in a shaded area of the garden.

Remove all flowers from container plants. Even large buds too, depending on how long you're away for.

If you have crops that will be ready while you're away, tell your garden-minder they can have any that ripen.

Don't ask that the garden as a whole is watered, pick out a few particularly sensitive plants for special treatment.

Cut the lawn before you leave.

    Keep dead-heading all flowering plants.

    Prop heavily laden branches of fruit trees.

    Feed bedding plants in the ground or in containers.

    Set the mower a little higher than normal in hot dry weather.

    An effective way to reduce a whitefly infestation is by vacuuming.

    If any perennials are particularly badly affected by pests, cutting them back to the ground can be an effective way of revitalizing them.