Warning to Dog owners

Detailed below are some plants harmful to Dogs

 Lilies and Lily of the Valley

Azaleas and Rhododendrons

Foxgloves, ivy, yew, hydrangea and wisteria

Aloe Vera - often kept as a house plant

Keeping pelargoniums flowering, healthy and looking their best through late summer

August is often when pelargoniums are at their most impressive. Plants are established, the days are still long and, with the right care, they should continue flowering generously well into autumn.

But it is also a month when a little attention makes a noticeable difference. After months of growth, plants can become tired, congested or hungry, and warm weather can make watering more difficult to judge.

Here’s what we’re doing on the nursery this month - and what we recommend doing at home.

1. Keep deadheading

If there is one job to stay on top of in August, it’s deadheading.

Remove flower heads once they begin to fade rather than waiting until every individual flower has finished. Follow the flower stem down to where it joins the main plant and remove the whole stem cleanly.

This isn’t simply about keeping plants looking tidy. Once flowers have finished, the plant can begin putting energy into seed production. Removing spent blooms redirects that energy back into fresh growth and more flowers.

Don’t just pull off the individual petals or flowers. Remove the entire flower stem from its base.

2. Water well, but don’t automatically water every day

August can bring some of the hottest days of the year, so naturally your pelargoniums may need more water. But that still doesn’t mean they want permanently wet compost.

Check the compost rather than watering to a timetable. Push a finger slightly below the surface; if it still feels damp, leave it.

When plants do need watering, give them a thorough drink and allow excess water to drain away.

On particularly warm days, containers in full sun can dry surprisingly quickly, so check them regularly, especially smaller pots.

Morning is generally the best time to water, giving plants what they need before the hottest part of the day.

And remember: pelargoniums cope considerably better with being a little dry than sitting wet for prolonged periods.

3. Don’t forget to feed

By August, many plants have been growing and flowering for several months and the nutrients available in their compost may be running low.

For established plants, continue feeding with a balanced liquid fertiliser approximately every 10–14 days, following the manufacturer’s dilution rate.

Regular feeding is particularly important for plants in pots and containers because every time we water, some nutrients are gradually washed from the compost.

If your plant has plenty of healthy foliage but flowering has slowed, don’t be tempted to compensate with excessive feeding. More fertiliser doesn’t necessarily mean more flowers.

4. Give tired plants a tidy-up

Some pelargoniums can begin to look slightly unruly by late summer.

Long stems, old leaves and congested growth can all be tidied now.

Remove yellowing or damaged foliage and, if a plant has become particularly leggy, don’t be afraid to shorten some of the longer shoots.

A light prune can encourage fresh growth and produce a much better-shaped plant going into the latter part of the season.

We wouldn’t give a healthy plant a severe cut-back while it’s flowering beautifully, enjoy it! - but selective pruning can make an enormous difference to a tired-looking plant.

5. Keep an eye underneath the leaves

August’s warm, dry conditions can also suit some of the pests that enjoy pelargoniums.

Take a few seconds when watering to look underneath the foliage and around growing tips.

You’re looking for anything unusual: distorted new growth, mottled leaves, sticky foliage or evidence of pests.

Catching a problem when it first appears is considerably easier than dealing with it once it has spread throughout a plant or collection.

Good airflow helps too. If several pots have grown together into one dense mass of foliage, give them a little more room.

6. Don’t rush to pot on

A large plant doesn’t automatically need a larger pot.

Pelargoniums generally perform extremely well when they’re relatively snug in their containers, and repeatedly moving them into larger pots can leave a considerable volume of wet compost around the roots.

If you’re considering repotting, look at the roots rather than simply the size of the foliage.

If the plant is healthy, flowering well and the root system isn’t excessively congested, leave it alone and enjoy it.

7. Take cuttings from favourites

August is an excellent time to think about the plants you particularly want to keep.

Healthy, non-flowering shoots can make good cutting material, and taking cuttings is one of the pleasures of growing pelargoniums, particularly from an unusual species, an old favourite or a plant with some history attached to it.

Choose healthy material and avoid weak, damaged or excessively soft growth.

It is also worth beginning to think about which plants you’ll want to bring through winter. There’s no need to move them inside yet, but August is a good time to start making plans if your collection has mysteriously become rather larger than it was in spring!

August at a glance

✓ Deadhead regularly
✓ Water thoroughly when the compost needs it
✓ Continue feeding every 10–14 days
✓ Remove tired and yellowing foliage
✓ Lightly trim plants that have become leggy
✓ Check underneath leaves for pests
✓ Maintain good airflow between pots
✓ Take cuttings from plants you want to preserve
✓ Don’t unnecessarily move plants into larger pots
✓ Start thinking about which plants you’ll overwinter