Gardens across the UK are in full bloom with many green-thumbed Britons getting outside more often as the weather warms up. With the arrival of August comes an array of new tasks to be getting on with in the garden – a few of which can encourage even more blooms through the final weeks of summer.

Keeping on top of general plant care can go a long way to ensure your green space looks its best.

As well as making sure your plants are getting enough water, it’s also a good idea to keep an eye on any which might be dying out. Even if some flowers are beginning to wilt and dry up, it doesn’t mean it’s the end of blooms.

Deadhead perennials

According to Gardeners World, August is a fantastic time to get out into the garden and start deadheading perennials, including dahlias.

Not only does it help to clean up your plants and keep them looking attractive, but it can also encourage re-flowering. The process of deadheading removes spent flowers and directs energy into stronger growth instead of producing more seed pods. It can also reduce spent petals being spread around your garden.

“The simplest method is to pinch or snap off faded blooms with finger and thumb, aiming to remove the flower with its stalk to keep the plant looking tidy,” explained the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

Alternatively, you can deadhead flowers using secateurs, scissors or a knife cutting back just above the next bud or leaf on the stem.

Pruning

August is a great time to prune overgrown bushes such as lavender or roses. Not only can this keep them looking beautiful, it can also get rid of any spent flowers reducing stress on the rest of the plant.

It is best to tackle pruning by using secateurs or a pruning saw. You can also improve the overall shape of bushes by tying other stems with supports.

Water regularly

With the continuation of summer it’s likely we will see plenty more sunny days and perhaps some periods of high heat. During hot, dry conditions you will need to increase your watering schedule.

Plants which you may usually only water between once and three times a week may need to be watered once every day in hot weather. Experts recommend avoiding watering during the hottest hours of the day, especially at midday, and instead watering early in the morning or at dusk.

Pots and hanging baskets may need to be watered multiple times a day during heatwaves.