Summer Gardening Jobs | Tips for the Garden in Summer

When the sun is shining, pottering around the garden really is one of life’s simplest pleasures. While the weather’s warm and dry, there are several gardening jobs you can do to keep your garden looking its best and to prepare for the arrival of Autumn.

From the best vegetables and flowers to plant to how to prune roses in Summer, we’ve put together a handy list of Summer gardening jobs to keep your grass, beds and borders looking vibrant and healthy.

Refresh sheds, fences and exterior woodwork

Before you don your gardening gloves, update the paint on any exterior woodwork as one of your first Summer gardening jobs. Warm, dry weather provides the perfect conditions for refreshing your exterior woodwork. Whether your fences have seen better days, or you fancy updating the colour of your shed, take advantage of the good weather and gather together your sandpaper, brushes and wood paint.

Top tips: Find out how to paint a fence here. We also have a handy guide on how to paint a shed.

Treat your lawn to some TLC

Dry Summer spells can leave your lawn in need of a little extra care. In periods of low rainfall, water your lawn generously once a week – a sprinkler hose attachment will allow you to efficiently water a large area.

If you’re wondering how to bring dead grass back to life in Summer, giving your lawn a feed will also promote greener, healthier-looking grass. If the weather is dry, opt for a 2-in-1 weed and feed product. Alternatively, use a 3-in-1 product with added moss killer, which will need to be watered in immediately.

Top tips: Keep your grass looking its best with our lawn edging ideas and lawn repair tips

Deadhead roses

Regular deadheading throughout the Summer will keep roses and other bedding plants flowering for as long as possible.

If you’re not sure how to prune roses in Summer, you’ll need gardening gloves and a pair of secateurs. Snip off the spent flowerhead just above a healthy leaf joint, removing about 15cm of stem. A flower shoot will grow from this leaf joint, giving you new blooms into the Autumn months.

Step up your container care

Pots and planters are a great way to add interest and variety to your outdoor space. However, they can quickly dry out in warmer weather. Add regular watering to your list of Summer gardening jobs to keep your blooms looking happy and healthy.

Even if it has rained, your pots will likely benefit from some extra moisture. Using a watering can or hose, saturate the compost until you see water running from the drainage holes.

If you’re unsure how often to water the garden in Summer, the top inch of soil being dry is a good indicator of thirsty potted plants. During warmer weather, you’ll find that daily watering is required.

Top tip: Investing in a water butt is a great way to conserve resources by capturing rainwater to use on your garden in Summer.

Prune fruit trees

Pruning fruit trees is one of the top garden jobs for August and late Summer. Cutting back long, new shoots will help keep your fruit trees in fine form and allow the sun to reach any ripening fruit.

Taking a shoot in your hand, look along the branch for last year’s woody growth. Use secateurs to cut about three leaves above this point.

Flowers to plant in Summer

We usually think of sowing seeds as a Springtime activity- however, there’s a wide range of beautiful blooms that can be grown from seed during the Summer months. Warmer, longer days provide excellent growing conditions for planting in Summer. Biennials, perennials and hardy annuals can be sown to flower in late Summer and well into the Autumn. If you’re thinking of planting Summer bulbs, cyclamen can be sown in trays and brought indoors over winter.

If you’re looking for ideas, the following are great flowers to plant in Summer:

Top tip: For more tips on planting in Summer, read our guide to the best late Summer perennials.

Grow your own greens

If you’ve neglected your vegetable patch over the Spring, there are several fast-maturing salad leaves and vegetables that can be planted in early Summer and will still produce a bumper crop before the season’s out.

Why not plant lettuce, rocket, radishes, and spring onions as one of your Summer gardening jobs? Runner beans, beetroot and peas can also be planted over June and July and will make a delicious addition to your Summer salads.

Top tip: Take a look at our guide to the best vegetables to grow in your garden for more tips on creating the perfect kitchen garden.

With our Summer gardening jobs, you can enjoy your beds and borders in all their glory. For more inspiration for things to do in the garden in Summer, explore our Ideas & Advice page and share your own tips with us on Instagram @Homebase_UK.