Recommended tasks and hints for August

• Water, feed, deadhead. Water, feed, deadhead. And keep repeating.

• Parsley and other herbs sown now will mean that you have a fresh supply for the winter

• Aubergines will be ready this month. Pick them when they are firm and nice and shiny

• Continue picking sweet peas and removing any seed heads. Also mulch, feed and water. They’ll be finished all too soon.

• Keep an eye on the level of water in your pond and top up from the hose when necessary. This will also help to oxygenate the water.

• Pruning your wisteria this month will not only tidy it up but will also divert its energy from producing tendrils to producing flower buds for next year.

• Some hardy annuals can be sown now, direct in their flowering positions meaning early flowers next spring/summer.

• Salad leaves can be sown this month, in fact keep sowing and you’ll be eating salad all year round.

• Continue to remove side-shoots from tomato plants and boost ripening by giving high potash feed.

• Harvest beans, courgettes, potatoes, cucumbers, salad leaves, aubergines, etc, etc as soon as they are ready. Home-grown meals eaten outside with friends and family are one of the highlights of summer.