How and when is the best time to pick tomatoes

August is usually one of the hottest months of the year in the UK with temperatures averaging 19°C every day.

However, on occasion, temperatures can reach highs of 30°C in August if there are heatwaves.

While this is great for al fresco dining and socialising, plants and gardens still need plenty of attention at this time of year.

With this in mind, David Mitchell, buying manager for garden and seasonal at Homebase has shared exclusively with Express.co.uk which tasks gardeners need to tackle in August.

Mr Mitchell said August “is all about maintaining your plants and reaping the rewards of your hard work”. These are the three tasks gardeners need to do this month:

READ MORE: Flood-resistant garden plants that are ideal for wet conditions

Feeding

Certain plants need a boost of nutrients at this time of year to get them through the growing season.

Mr Mitchell said: “Your perennials, annuals and bedding plants all need regular feeding through their growing season, so the compost isn’t starved of essential nutrients.

“We recommend trying a liquid feed, it’ll give those hungry summer bedding plants the boost they need to grow rapidly this summer.”

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Harvesting

As the growing season comes to an end, it’s time to harvest a plethora of fruit and vegetables. Many plants will have produced an abundance of crops thanks to the August heat. 

The gardening expert said: “Your tomato plants should be filled with fruit by now, but make sure to pick the bite-size cherry tomatoes first, the bigger ones will ripen later.

“Make sure the tomatoes are a bright red all over and have a firm skin. Then enjoy the fruits of your labour.”

Pruning

Certain plants need pruning in August so they bloom again and add colour to the garden in autumn.

Mr Mitchell said: “Make sure you regularly remove faded flowers from your plants and keep your shrubs well pruned, it encourages them to bloom again, and will keep your garden colourful for autumn.

“Don’t forget to clear up the dead foliage from the ground, they can cause rot.”

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