Ensure container plants especially evergreens never go short of water during the summer while they’re developing their flower buds for next spring’s display
Support the stems of tall perennials and lilies with bamboo canes and watch out for lily beetles and their larvae
Deadhead roses as blooms fade, cutting off the flowers just above the uppermost leaf on the stem. Trim back lavender bushes after flowering to remove the old blooms and shoot tips. Take care not to cut back too heavily into any old wood
Regularly pinch out any tomato sideshoots and tie the leading shoot to its support. Feed plants weekly with a high-potash tomato fertiliser, never letting them go short of water
Transplant young winter vegetable crops from their seed-bed when their stalks are about the thickness of a pencil
Hot and humid conditions can encourage a rapid spread of potato blight so consider spraying the crop with a chemical fungicide to prevent an attack
Continue taking summer cuttings of fuchsias, pelargoniums and tender perennials. These root quickly at this time of year, forming sturdy young plants that will successfully overwinter on a bedroom windowsill
Trim hedges, especially hedging conifers that can become tall and annoy neighbours. Be considerate and cut their tops down to 10 feet at a maximum
Watch out for ants nesting in patio pots, where they can disturb root growth and reduce a plant’s performance. Standing pots in a large saucer of water helps deter them from settling in
Hoe weeds out of gravel paths, then carefully apply a residual path weedkiller to keep the area weed-free
Don’t neglect hanging baskets – deadheading, watering and feeding will help them last through until autumn
Towards the end of August sow hardy annuals directly into borders. They will overwinter and flower next summer
