Gardening jobs for the week ahead

It might feel more like April at times, but this is still August and there's work to be done to keep your garden looking nice...
Stake tall or top-heavy dahlias and lilies to prevent them being damaged by wind and rain.Stake tall or top-heavy dahlias and lilies to prevent them being damaged by wind and rain.
Stake tall or top-heavy dahlias and lilies to prevent them being damaged by wind and rain.

Top up ponds and bird baths regularly.

Water fruit and veg plants daily.

Prune all summer-flowering shrubs once the blooms are finished.

Water evergreen shrubs like camellias and rhododendrons.

Keep patio container plants well watered and feed with a liquid fertilizer every fortnight.

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Stake tall or top-heavy dahlias and lilies (pictured) to prevent wind and rain damage. Dead-head lilies.

Dead-head annual bedding plants and perennials.

Cut back faded perennials to keep borders tidy.

Cut back herbs to encourage a new flush of leaves to harvest before the first frost.

Prune wisteria after flowering by removing all the whippy side-shoots from the main branch framework to 20cm from base.

Trim any lavender plants after they’ve finished flowering to keep them compact.

Collect ripened seeds and store them for next year.

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