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Monthly Gardening Tips / August
Planning:
- Order spring- flowering bulbs for fall planting
- Assess areas in the garden which may need
additional planting
- Prepare a landscape plan for fall planting
of trees and shrubs
- Continue to take garden notes and /or photographs
to plan future plantings
Chores and Maintenance:
- If rain is still lacking continue to practice
water-wise horticultural techniques
- Determine which plants are most important
and water them first
- Allow lawns to go dormant; they will green
up again when rain returns
- Remove weeds before they set seed
- Mow lawns regularly to keep grass at 2 ½
in. height
- Spot seed to renovate existing lawns between
August 15 and September 15
- De -thatch and aerate existing lawns to
promote root growth
- Continue to aerate and moisten compost pile
to speed decomposition
- Continue to deadhead annuals and perennials
to encourage continuous bloom
- Continue to check for insect pests and treat
accordingly
- Continue to remove any fallen leaves and
debris which can harbor insect pests and disease
organisms
- Continue to apply deer repellent
- Cut flowers for drying: yarrow, strawflower,
gomphrena, cockscomb, etc.
- Put up hummingbird feeder
Planting:
- Continue to propagate spring-flowering perennials
- Continue to propagate herbs from new growth
and transplant into pots for winter use
- Divide bearded Iris and discard any borer-damaged
parts
- Plant late season annuals like ornamental
kale and cabbage for fall color
- Plant out seedlings of cool vegetable plants
for fall harvest
- Sow seed of late harvest vegetables such
as carrots, beets and turnips
- Plant out seedling biennials for next year's
bloom
- Plant broad-leaved and needle-leaved evergreens
from late August through October 15
Pruning/Fertilizing:
- Continue to deadhead roses
- Prune summer-flowering trees and shrubs
after flowering is complete
- Lightly prune overgrown hedges and deciduous
shrubs
- Cut back leggy annuals
- Feed needle and broad-leaved evergreens
with iron chelate if leaves are yellowing
- Fertilize roses to encourage last new growth
and hardening off before first frost
- Continue to fertilize annuals and container
plants each month
- Continue to fertilize chrysanthemums weekly
until buds show color
Indoors:
- Shape and pinch back houseplants before
returning them indoors
- Check houseplants for insect pests and treat
as necessary before bringing them in
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