We all live in hope that August may well be one of the hottest months of the year! Great for those of us that love the sun, possibly not so great for the elderly and their live-in carers or indeed for the plants and grass in our gardens! Speaking of which, there are certain jobs to do and factors to bear in mind to help keep our gardens in tip-top condition in August and plenty that a live-in carer can do with their client, if able. Let’s take a look…..
If lack of rain is a problem in your area, maybe think about catching rainwater in containers. Use water butts if you have them. Using ‘grey water’ is ideal here. Grey water refers to the water from our baths, sinks, washing machines etc that is relatively clean still and perfect for our August hot gardens. Keep ponds, bird baths and water features topped up and remove decomposing leaves from the surface.
Time to pull out your secateurs and
cut ‘perennials’ back such as geraniums after they’ve finished blooming which will encourage new growth. Perennials are your plants that live more than two years, not the shorter-lives ‘annuals,’ which complete their life cycle from germination to seed in one season, or ‘biennials,’ that take about two years to complete their cycle.
Trim back lavender which will stop it getting “twiggy”. Wait until the flowers have gone over and give it a trim - to just above the woody part. The plant will benefit from this so it has time to become strong again before that wretched winter frost kicks in later in the year!
A no for the season - Don’t cut the flowers off any hydrangea blooms you have, these need to stay on until winter to protect the plant - also when they do turn in Autumn they look gorgeous as a table display once dried up and last for weeks on end!
Harvest those plums and greengages before the wasps get them.
Lawns – if there is no rain, don’t mow as often and raise the blades on your lawn mower so you don’t stress the grass.
Keep deadheading dahlias by cutting back to the new growth which will encourage more flowers, dahlias have the amazing ability to flower all summer long.
If you have roses, try to keep on top of the dead-heading to promote further blooms and to help shape your plant. This is quite a therapeutic task and a good one for a live-in carer to do with a client if possible. Word to the wise, pop a good pair of rose pruning gloves with sleeves. Elderly skin becomes frail and particularly more prone to tearing and bruising so a good pair of gloves will help and make a great present too!
Since its establishment in 1994, Access Care has been at the forefront of providing live in care, and support services for the elderly who live at home throughout the United Kingdom. With a commitment to ensuring the utmost well-being of our clients, we specialise in home care services, also known as domiciliary care. If you have any questions about Live-in Care or how you or your loved one can benefit from companion care call 01264 319 399 to speak with our friendly team.