August gardening in the UK can be both glorious and challenging. The long, sunny days keep the borders buzzing with colour, but heatwaves and dry spells can quickly turn your lawn brown and your blooms limp. This month is all about giving your plants the right care so they can push through to autumn looking healthy, vibrant, and productive. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or someone who just likes pottering around with a watering can, the team at Bosworth’s Garden Centre has pulled together our Top 5 Expert Tips to keep your garden in great shape this August — including how to cope during a drought. These tips come straight from the green-fingered stars of our podcast, The Root of It All, where gardening wisdom meets good humour (and the occasional friendly debate about whether slugs deserve a second chance!). 1- Water Wisely in Summer Heat (and During a Drought) When rainfall is scarce, water becomes your garden’s most precious resource — and how you use it makes a big difference. Water early or late — Avoid the midday sun to prevent quick evaporation. Aim at the roots — Leaves don’t drink, roots do. Keep the water low and focused. Soak, don’t sprinkle — A deep watering a few times a week encourages stronger roots. Mulch to retain moisture — Bark chips, compost, or straw help keep the soil damp. Recycle water where possible — Use cooled pasta water, collected rainwater, or “grey water” from baths (eco-friendly soaps only). 💡 Bosworth’s pick: Our Smart Garden Long Reach 9l Watering Can delivers water exactly where it’s needed, even deep inside borders. 2- Keep Blooms Coming with Deadheading & Pruning Plants naturally want to set seed after flowering — but by removing spent blooms, you can trick them into producing more flowers. Deadhead regularly — Roses, cosmos, and dahlias will reward you with new blooms. Prune summer shrubs — Lavender, philadelphus, and other summer performers benefit from a post-flower trim. Tidy herbs — Basil, mint, and oregano grow back fresher after a snip. ✂️ Bosworth’s pick: Our Wilkinson Sword Deluxe Bypass Pruners are lightweight, durable, and perfect for August garden maintenance. 3- Feed Your Plants for Late-Summer Energy By August, many plants have been working hard for months — and their soil nutrients might be running low. Boost containers and baskets — Use a liquid feed every 1–2 weeks to keep colour and vigour. Feed fruiting plants — Tomatoes, peppers, and courgettes benefit from high-potash fertiliser. Help perennials recover — A balanced feed keeps foliage strong into autumn. 🍅 Bosworth’s pick: Our Levington Tomorite is a classic choice for juicy, flavour-packed crops. 4- Stay Ahead of Pests and Summer Plant Diseases The warm, dry days of August are perfect for gardeners… and for pests. Check for aphids and whitefly — These sap-suckers can weaken plants quickly. Watch for powdery mildew — Common in drought conditions; water the soil, not the leaves. Stay on slug watch — They may be less active in heat, but they’re still lurking in cool spots. 🐞 Bosworth’s pick: Our Organic Pest Control Spray is gentle on pollinators but tough on common pests. 5- Prepare Your Garden for the Autumn Shift August might still feel like high summer, but a little forward planning will keep your garden looking beautiful in the months ahead. Order autumn bulbs — Daffodils, crocuses, and tulips can be planted in September. Sow late crops — Lettuce, spinach, and radishes can still be grown for an autumn harvest. Divide overcrowded perennials — This keeps them healthy and gives you more plants for free. 🌼 Bosworth’s pick: Our Bulb Planter Tool makes light work of autumn bulb planting. Want More August Gardening Wisdom? If you’ve enjoyed these tips, you’ll love The Root of It All — our very own gardening podcast, recorded right here at Bosworth’s Garden Centre. Hosted by Rosie from our marketing team (who asks all the questions you might be too shy to), and joined by experts Martin, Lisa, Miriam, Debs, and Simon, we share practical seasonal advice, chat about the latest gardening trends, and have a good laugh along the way. You can find The Root of It All here or on all major podcast platforms — perfect listening while you’re pottering in the garden.