Monty Don's urgent advice for gardeners to protect camellias this September

Gardening guru Monty Don has shared his top tips for looking after camellias, azaleas, rhododendrons and dahlias this September as the weather starts to cool down

Gardening expert Monty Don has offered a treasure trove of tips for tending to your blooms in the coming month.

The UK has had weather warnings stretching from Edinburgh to Exmouth, compared to previous Septembers where we've bathed in sunshine. Indeed, last September was tied as the warmest on record for the UK with a staggering 15.2C, according to the Met Office. So, it's no surprise that gardening amidst these fluctuating conditions can be quite challenging. But fear not. Monty Don has now served up some fresh advice for caring for your camellias, azaleas, and rhododendrons. Incredibly, the British guru suggested their chances of blooming beautifully in Spring depend on your actions 'over the coming weeks'. "Camellias, Azaleas, and rhododendrons form their flower buds in late Summer and Autumn," he detailed in a recent blog post.

"If they are too dry the buds will not form properly and those that are made quite often subsequently drop off in the Spring before flowering as a result of dehydration the previous Autumn.", reports Devon Live. To prevent this, he recommended gardeners give them a 'good soak' with rainwater every week for the next few months. Rainwater is particularly beneficial because it has a lower pH and contains natural nutrients which are better for plant growth, according to the Royal Horticultural Society.

Monty Don, the gardening guru, has shared a golden nugget of advice for dahlia enthusiasts. To extend their blooming season right up until the first frost hits in October or November, he recommends a simple trick: regular 'deadheading'. By trimming away the spent blooms, which tend to be 'cone-shaped' and 'pointed', as opposed to the rounder young buds, you can keep your dahlias dazzling. He emphasised: ".Nothing else is so effective in keeping summer flowers from lasting as long as possible."

The gardening expert later admitted in the blog the weather has "been kind" to the garden. He added: "But this year summer has been kind to the garden. Not too hot, not too cold, not too wet and not too dry. Most things have thrived and nothing has failed. There has been a lushness and vigour that extended deep into August so September. Sunflowers, dahlias, cannas, tithonias, Zinnias and cosmos all continue to fill the borders with splashes of bright, strong colour."