What needs to be done in your garden in August

If there is one month of the year when we might just forgive you for not stocking up on the finest vegetable, herb and flower seeds with us (only slightly, though), it is surely August, which is holiday time for many of us. It's the point of the year when even the most enthusiastic gardeners can often be looking around for a mobile phone charger or shopping for sun cream rather than tending to their vegetable patch or visiting Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) - but don't be fooled into thinking that your garden doesn't need some TLC at this time of year.

Perhaps the most obvious problem with leaving home for a week or several, is that your plants can suffer from a lack of water in these days of constant, stifling heat. You therefore shouldn't forget to arrange for the watering of your containers and baskets by someone else, or even have a system set up that can regularly supply water to your plants. If any of your baskets or containers are continually exposed to the full sun, move them to a position of shade. Another good idea is standing terracotta pots on gravel trays that have been topped up with water, so that the reservoir of fluid can be gradually absorbed by the pots.

Another watering method is to make some holes in the lid of a plastic water bottle, before cutting off the bottom of the bottle, turning it upside down into the plant compost and finally filling it with water, which gradually makes its way into the soil. Such watering principles are equally effective on vegetable seeds. 'Grow Your Own' gardeners need to spend this month and September gathering, harvesting, bottling and jam making, although good weather still makes possible the sowing of quick maturing salad crops.

Throughout August, we continue to stock the broadest range of veg seeds, from alfalfa, asparagus and aubergine to watercress, mushrooms and tomatoes, as well as herb seeds and flower seeds from our usual assortment of in-demand manufacturers, such as Thomson and Morgan and Johnsons seeds. But August isn't just a month for planting new seeds and watering. That's because it's also a period when wisteria will need to be pruned, flowering plants regularly deadheaded and home grown vegetables harvested as they become ready.

You'll also need to ensure that your lawn still looks up to scratch, as well as that ponds and water features have been topped up. If you've bought some herb seeds, bear in mind that dill, basil and coriander are all perfect for enjoying at this time of year, in summer fish recipes and even desserts. However, we might leave you to come up with some more ideas of your own for your garden in August. Just don't forget to shop with Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) when you're running low on any of your favourite mail order seeds!

Editor’s Note: Seeds By Post (http://www.seedsbypost.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.