August is a month where gardens truly come into their own and is the time when you get to really enjoy the fruits of your labour.
After many months of planting, pruning and watering, gardens are bursting with life and vibrant colours at the peak of the summer as flowers come into full bloom. August is typically one of the hottest months of the year, so it provides ideal conditions for making the most of your outdoor space, but the warm conditions means watering is essential. And if you have hanging baskets in your garden, then experts say the flowers will benefit from a regular watering with tomato feed this month.
Tomato feed isn’t limited to use on tomato plants alone as it can be used to water flowers to help promote healthier and more colourful blooms.
The fertiliser is rich in potassium which is essential for flower production and it helps plants to develop much stronger colours, while other nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus are also beneficial for overall plant health and growth.
Experts at Carpenter’s Nursery explain: “While water is important to plants, you will also need to feed them. Proper plant nutrition leads to bigger, brighter, and more blooms.
“If you’ve added compost to your basket or container, don’t assume this is enough nutrition, as it will have very limited benefits. Generally speaking, all nutrition from compost is lost after four to six weeks.
“There are all kinds of different fertilisers you can look at, but a key ingredient is potassium. This encourages blooms. Tomato feed is known to have high levels of potassium and is good for bedding plants.
“Liquid fertiliser is mixed with water, but it is also available as granules. Granules will be easier to deal with since there is no mixing required, and you can find slow-release formulations that your plants can draw from as needed.”
Gardening experts recommend using tomato feed in hanging baskets every two to four weeks to keep flowers looking healthy and colourful.
The feed is usually diluted with water and applied to the soil around the plants. It’s also advised to water the basket well before adding the feed.
Gardener’s World says: “Keep pots and hanging baskets flowering by watering and deadheading regularly, and add tomato feed fortnightly.”