Monty Don has told gardeners there are lots of jobs to be done in August as well as sharing his top tips on what to do before heading away on holiday
Monty Don has offered a word of advice to gardeners before they head off on holiday. The self-taught horticulturalist became a household name when he became the Gardeners’ World presenter in 2003.
Monty honed his skills writing for gardening magazines and presenting a weekly segment on ITV’s flagship show, This Morning. Now, he regularly imparts wisdom to help gardeners maintain their plots on BBC Gardeners’ World and through his own newsletter, where he also offers glimpses into his own Longmeadow garden.
In his August newsletter, Monty offered tips for those preparing to jet off on their summer holidays. He emphasised the importance of prepping your garden before you leave, especially if you’re planning a fortnight away.
He advised: “Mow the lawn, weed, and make sure plants are well supported. Pots are most likely to suffer in hot weather and an irrigation system is ideal, but at very least give them a good soak before you go. Ideally move smaller pots into the shade and group them together which will reduce evaporation.
“If you have sweet peas or vegetables ready to harvest, ask friends or neighbours to come and pick them.”
Monty also highlighted a host of tasks that need to be tackled in the garden before the month ends. As the month progresses, he recommends taking semi-ripe cuttings from wood that is likely to root-off soon, reports the Express.
He suggests selecting plants that are robust, vigorous and upright. After the material has been harvested, it can be placed in a polythene bag and potted straight away.
Monty explains: “Strip off all lower leaves and side shoots so that only an inch or less of foliage remains. Cut the bare stem to size with a sharp knife or secateurs and bury it in a container of very gritty or sandy compost or even pure perlite.”
Monty recommends providing the plant with water and oxygen for sustenance. Once it has developed a strong root system, then gardeners can progress to offering it superior nutrition and improved compost.
Following four to six weeks there should be established roots and the plant can then be transferred into a peat-free potting compost before being set aside over winter in readiness for spring.
Monty says August is an ideal time to sow hardy salad crops. These can include rocket, corn salad, land cress and “winter density lettuce”.
Anything planted now will be ready for harvesting between October and November. If gardeners are utilising a polytunnel or greenhouse then they should be able to survive throughout the winter as well.
The TV personality suggests planting them in plugs that can be transplanted when they develop into seedlings or sowing them directly into rows. The seedlings should be thinned as they begin to emerge.