August

The first days that herald the arrival of spring will appear some time this month, and with them early bloomers like magnolias and hellebores. You can get a head start on the busy spring planting season now by planting the last of your summer-flowering bulbs, pruning camellias to shape, and fertilising grass for a healthy, vibrant summer lawn.

Flowering now

• Trees and shrubs: Acacia (Wattle), azalea, boronia, buddleia, camellia japonica, correa, Geraldton wax, grevillea, hardenbergia, diosma, magnolia, michelia, waratah, flowering cherries, peach, plum and quince.
• Annuals and perennials: Hellebore, poppy, marguerite daisy, pansy, polyanthus, primrose, sweet pea, violet and viola.
• Bulbs: Clivia, daffodil, freesia, hyacinth, lachenalia, narcissus, snowflakes.
• Climbers: Jasmine, bleeding heart, orange trumpet vine.

Plant

• Flowers: Ageratum, candytuft, cleome, delphinium, larkspur, linaria, lupin, mignonette, dianthus, snapdragon, statice, alyssum, Virginia stock, impatiens, marigold, petunia, phlox, verbena.
• Trees and shrubs: This is the last month to plant bare-rooted roses, deciduous fruiting and flowering trees.
• Bulbs: Agapanthus, bearded iris, canna, daylily, gladiolus, hippeastrum, pineapple lily, tuberous begonia.
• Vegetables: Artichoke, carrot, lettuce, parsley, parsnip, radish, silverbeet, sweet corn, tomato, pumpkin.

Fertilise

• Fertilise citrus with specially formulated citrus food.
• Fertilise hydrangeas using a blueing compound if you want blue flowers in December.
• Fertilise lawns in preparation for spring growth.
• Feed roses with a complete rose food to help the developing buds and new spring growth. Mulch with lucerne.

Prune

• Prune camellias to shape if necessary after flowering.
• Finish pruning winter-flowering roses.
• Remove frost damage on plants, but only if there is no chance of further frosts.

Pests and diseases

• Spray and feed all citrus and rose bushes after pruning with lime sulfur, to prevent scale on trunks and branches.
• Keep watch for aphids on new growth and buds.
• Slugs and snails are looking for tasty vegies, bulbs and flowering seedlings so protect them with snail pellets. If you have pets, use pet-friendly pellets (in accordance with product instructions).
• Spray lawns for bindii.
• Hungry caterpillars are on the hunt. Keep them away with Dipel or Success Ultra.

General garden care

• Repot your indoor plants. Remove any brown or shrivelled fronds from indoor ferns.
• Regularly water azaleas to extend blooming. Avoid wetting the flowers as this spreads petal blight.
• Try not to over-water flowers as this will cause rot.

Buy now

• Lawn fertiliser
• Rose food
• Citrus fertiliser
• Mulch
• Snail pellets
• Blueing compound for hydrangeas