Your Monthly Planting Guide

August

It’s ALMOST spring…

This month there’s a sense that winter is almost over. Flower and growth buds on deciduous trees and shrubs, roses and fruit trees start to swell and show tinges of colour, the early daffodils and jonquils burst into flower and camellias and magnolias are at their peak of flowering.

Calendar

Gardening in August

Chilli

It seems that most people now have at least 1 or 2 Chilli plants at home – it’s become incredibly trendy. Find out how...

Potatoes

Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) are tubers that grow and form at the plant’s roots. Plants also produce flowering shoots...

Cucumbers

Delicious in salads and sandwiches, the crisp, sweet crunch of a cucumber is one of the joys of summer. Growing...

Spring Onion

Spring onions (also known as green shallots and green bunching or salad onions) are a delicious addition to a whole...

Blueberries

Eaten fresh, baked in muffins or as the star attraction in jams or desserts, blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) are...

Strawberries

Who doesn’t love strawberries? If you’re a strawberry fan, the many varieties of Fragaria × ananassa are easy to grow at...

Raspberries

What could be better than a bowl of sweet, fresh-picked raspberries in summer? These delicious fruits are easy to grow...

Cherries

Homegrown cherries are sweet, juicy and delicious. Many varieties will be dripping with ready to pick cherries around...

Orchids

Orchids are a great addition to any home, with their exotic, delicate and diverse flowers and their beautiful shapes and...

Sunflowers

If you want to grow something spectacular, plant sunflowers. They come in a whole range of sizes from dwarf to giant and...

Allium

Alliums belong to the same family as onions, garlic and leeks, as you can tell from the aroma when you crush the foliage...

Roses

Roses are among our favourite garden plants – and deservedly so. They are versatile, produce vibrant colour through...

Fiddle Leaf Figs

With their lush, upright stature and huge, glossy leaves, the Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata) is one of the most popular...

Peace Lily

With their dark green foliage and pure white flowers, Peace Lilies are a stunning addition indoors. Being just as...

Monstera

Monstera deliciosa is also commonly called the Swiss cheese Plant, Fruit Salad Plant or Monstera. Its large green glossy...

Philodendron

There’s a reason why Philodendrons make such great indoor plants… well several actually! They look good, aren’t fussy...

Buffalo Grass

A popular stalwart in Australian gardens for good reason, buffalo grass makes for an incredibly resilient lawn. It is...

Kikuyu Grass

Kikuya grass, or Pennisetum Clandestinum, is a vigorous plant often used in Australian lawns and common in public...

Bromeliads

Bromeliads (Bromeliaceae) are a diverse group of plants with a very tropical vibe. With over 3000 different species in...

Kangaroo Paw

Kangaroo paws are among the most iconic Australian plants, instantly recognisable by their unique furry and vibrantly...

Almond Tree

Almonds (Prunus amygdalus) are the edible nuts produced inside the hard-fleshed velvety fruit, that grows on a tree that...

Bougainvillea

Bougainvilleas put on a showy display of vibrant colour throughout summer. These vigorous vines are drought tolerant and...

What to harvest now:

Winter veggies, including cabbage, kale, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli, silverbeet and leafy greens like lettuce, should still be going strong. The very first of the new season’s asparagus tips may pop up later in the month – keep an eye out and cut them when about 15cm tall – they will be tender and delicious!

What to plant now:

Continue planting certified virus-free strawberry plants and runners. Rhubarb and asparagus crowns may still be available and should be planted as soon as possible.

In cooler areas, later in the month, sow seeds of:

Broad bean
Carrot
Celery
French bean
Lettuce
Onion
Parsnip
Dwarf pea
Climbing pea
Silverbeet

In temperate to warm areas plant seedlings of:

Beetroot
Carrot
Chinese cabbage
Kohl rabi
Potato tuber

Veggie patch tips for August:

Give newly planted seedlings a good start with regular applications of a liquid fertiliser for vegetables and herbs such as Osmocote Boost+Feed Vegetables, Tomatoes & Herbs or a certified organic fertiliser once a month.
Water every few days if the weather is dry.
Hand pull or hoe out weeds as they appear – they compete for nutrients and moisture and may also harbour pests that could attack your crops.
As winter crops finish, pull out the plants and put them into the compost bin if they are disease-free.
Start preparing empty beds now for planting out seedlings next month. Dig over to break up the soil, fork in plenty of compost and a complete fertiliser.

Fruit

What fruits to harvest now:

In late winter, it’s only the warmer parts of the country that will have any ripe fruit to harvest, and most of it will be citrus – mandarins, tangelos, grapefruit and lemons.

What fruit to plant:

Evergreen fruiting plants such as passionfruit vines and citrus may still be planted in warm to tropical areas. Bare-rooted deciduous fruit and nut trees and vines should be planted as soon as possible before they start to shoot and flower. Some garden centres may already have them potted up and in flower.

Choose from:

Fig
Apple
Pear
Cherry
Plum
Apricot
Plumcot
Nectarine
Peach
Persimmon
Almond
Walnut
Mulberry
Pomegranate
Quince
Raspberry
Blackberry

Flowers

What flowers to plant:

Bare-root roses are still available and, like fruit trees, should be in the ground very soon! Some nurseries sell them already potted up – they can be planted now or left until they are fully in leaf before transplanting into the garden. Spring flowering annuals will in full bloom now, but it’s not too early to start thinking about summer flowers.

In cool areas, sow seeds into seed trays of:

Amaranthus
Bedding begonia
Candytuft
Carnation
Celosia
Eschscholtzia
Geum
Hollyhock
Linaria
Lupin
Nasturtium
Petunia
Scabiosa
Sweet William
Verbena
Wallflower

In warmer areas, plant annual seedlings of:

Dianthus
Gaillardia
Geum
Gypsophila
Honesty
Impatiens
Nasturtium
Statice

Indoor Plants

Tips for Indoor Plants:

Plants inside the home assist in purifying the air as well as lending a touch of greenery to your living areas.

Natural light is important but don’t stand pots on north or west-facing windowsills where they will be exposed to direct sun through the glass.
Keep plants away from heaters and air conditioners that can dry the atmosphere.
Place a saucer or bowl of water near your plants to humidify the air.
Wipe leaves occasionally with a damp cloth to keep them clean.
Feed every few weeks with ready to use Osmocote Pour+Feed Indoor Plants – no mixing required.

Lawn

Maintenance tips:

If you didn’t have time to give the mower a service last month, do it now before spring when it will be called into service quite frequently. As winter gradually recedes and the days become longer and a little warmer, the lawn will have quite a growth spurt - now is the time to fertilise. The type of fertiliser you use will depend on the health of your lawn.

A general purpose fertiliser like Lawn Builder All Purpose Slow Release Lawn Food, Lawn Builder Buffalo Slow Release Lawn Food or Lawn Builder Extreme Green Slow Release Lawn Food (all granular fertilisers that will feed your lawn for up to three months and suitable for all types of grass) will suit most situations.
However, if you have a broadleaf weed problem, then you may need to use Lawn Builder + Weedkill Slow Release Lawn Food but READ THE LABEL FIRST! This fertiliser cannot be applied to buffalo grasses and some other lawn substitutes.
Buffalo grasses and lawn substitutes can be treated and fed with Lawn Builder Buffalo Weed, Feed & Green Up, a hose-on product that can be safely used on all lawn types. However, it is not a slow release, long lasting lawn food. An application of Lawn Builder All Purpose or Lawn Builder Buffalo after eight weeks will keep the lawn growing strongly through to Summer.
Control moss in shady areas with a solution of iron sulfate (30 grams in 4.5L of water) applied as a spray or with the watering will help control it. Re-apply if necessary.
If you’ve already fertilised the lawn when you notice broadleaf weeds including bindii spreading, use Lawn Builder Bindii, Clover & Broadleaf hose-on to eradicate them.

In the warmer north:

Water lawns deeply once a week if there’s no rain.
Remove weeds either by hand or with Lawn Builder Bindii, Clover & Broadleaf hose-on.
Apply a Lawn Builder Slow Release granular fertiliser to feed the lawn for up to three months.

Garden Tasks

Things to look out for and do during the month:

Keep flowering annuals and bulbs growing and flowering well with regular applications of Osmocote Boost+Feed All Plant Types.
Finish pruning deciduous trees and shrubs as soon as possible. DO NOT prune blossom trees (Prunus, etc) or Spring flowering shrubs – wait until after they have flowered.
As soon as “bud swell” is noticed on fruiting and flowering trees and shrubs, apply a copper-based spray to prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases like mildews and leaf curl. Apply to fruit trees again after flowering, when fruits are just starting to form.
Last chance to sow a “green manure” crop of oats, peas and field lupins into empty vegetable beds; dig it in to add nitrogen to the soil when about 300-400mm in height.

Pest Control:

Watch for the caterpillars of the White Cabbage Butterfly on cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and other brassicas. Pyrethrum will assist or try a cabbage dust.
Slugs and snails can be active whenever there are young plants around – Defender Snail & Slug Pellets in a bait trap will protect your plants and keep your pets safe.