August Gardening Tasks for Spring Prep
Finally, the end of winter is in sight! Time to prepare your soil for spring planting, enjoy flowering magnolias, rhododendrons, late camellias, flowering cherries and to start thinking of the summer garden. Daylight hours are increasing so there is more time to spend in the garden.
Seed Sowing
In warmer areas, add Garden Time Compost and sow seeds of beetroot, carrots, onions, radish, and spinach to get a head start on your spring crops.
Later this month sow summer vegetable and flower seeds indoors or in a glasshouse using Daltons Premium Seed Mix. These seedlings will be ready to transplant once the temperatures rise.
Read our Seed Growing Guide for advice and tips to help.
Nourish Soil for Spring
Adding Daltons Compost or other organic material now ensures your soil is rich and ready for planting when the weather warms up. This will improve water retention and drainage, and feed the tiny microorganisms that release essential nutrients for plants.
For an extra boost, mix in Garden Time Chicken and Sheep Pellets—a natural fertiliser packed with compost material, organic matter, seaweed, gypsum, and manure.
In the Veggie Patch
Now near the end of harvesting traditional winter vegetables including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce, parsnips, silver beet, spinach, and turnips.
Read our summer veggie planting guide which has a regional planting guide, to plan your garden. Remember to rotate where you have grown crops from last year.
Strawberries Planting & Maintenance
Finish your strawberry planting this month – watch our video for tips. Remove early flowers from young strawberry plants to encourage stronger growth. Apply a light layer of Premium Mulch and Grow or pea straw to reduce the impact of heavy downpours of rain and keep the young plants clean and healthy.
Dig In Your Green Crops
If you planted green crops like mustard or lupins to cover empty garden beds, chop them up with a spade before they flower and dig them into the soil. Let them break down for 4-6 weeks, enriching the soil for your spring plantings.
Ornamental Trees & Shrubs and Hedges
August is an excellent time to plant trees and shrubs. Choose healthy specimens and ensure they have enough space to grow. Trim existing hedges and ornamental trees into shape ready for growth. Flowering shrubs are better pruned right after they bloom. There is still time to plant out new specimens, read our Growing Ornamental Trees and Shrubs Guide here.
Lawns
Grass growth is slow in August, but moss may appear in wet, shady areas. This will usually disappear in the hot, dry summer months. Take note of any areas that may need drainage improvements.
Roses Planting & Care
August is the final month for planting new season roses – be sure to add in plenty of compost to improve drainage. Watch our video for tips.
In warmer areas, roses will start showing new growth. Apply fresh compost around existing plants to give them a boost as the soil warms up.
Blooming Bulbs
Many bulbs are now in full flower depending on weather conditions. Daffodils, jonquils, hyacinths, muscari and lachenalias all regularly flower in August. Take note of varieties that perform well in your garden so you can plant additional bulbs or divide the bulbs later in the season.
Houseplants
Winter can be challenging for houseplants. Ensure they have adequate light and water as needed, using lukewarm water to avoid shocking the roots. Cyclamens are a great choice for winter flowering but be careful not to overwater. Occasionally place them outside for fresh air.
Flowering Winter Annuals
Last plantings of winter annuals like alyssum, calendulas, cornflowers, larkspur, lobelias, pansies, snapdragons, stock, violas, and wallflowers will provide continuous colour well into spring.
Fruit Tree Care
Harvest time for citrus growing in warm, sheltered sites, including mandarins, lemons, and navel oranges. Seminole tangelos that appear ripe are still very sour so leave harvesting until October/ November.
Spray pip and stone fruit trees with a copper compound to prevent the outbreak of fungal diseases in spring.
Prune Feijoas and thin out the dense growth that is their typical habit. This allows better light penetration through the plant and leads to increased fruit production. Remove any inward growing branches and where branches overlap. Maintain the ultimate height of the feijoas at 2.5 – 3m, as this will allow for easier care of the plant while ensuring more than enough fruit develops.
Walkways & Path Maintenance
Water blast slippery paths to clear away moss and algae and trim any overhanging tree branches to allow more light through. If you find you’re using garden paths more in winter, consider planning additional paths to be constructed during summer to enhance accessibility.
