August, the last month of summer, has already arrived. Yard and garden activities focus on continued summer maintenance of many plants. However, its time to start looking ahead to planning fall projects, including lawn work, and expanding garden areas.
Continuing routine maintenance on vegetables is important to keep plants productive for the balance of the growing season. Irrigation tops the list if conditions are dry while vegetables are in the development and ripening process. Harvest crops like cucumbers, zucchini, and tomatoes on a regular basis to encourage plants to produce more. Promptly remove any overripe or rotten vegetables from gardens to avoid problems with picnic beetles. If weeds have taken over any areas, address them now to prevent more seeds from forming and causing problems in future seasons.
Early August is an ideal time to rejuvenate annual flowers in hanging baskets and containers. Remove spent blooms and pinch back plants, including any leggy growth. Fertilize with a balanced soluble fertilizer when watering. The result will be increased flower production from late summer into early fall.
August is a quiet month for tree and shrub care. If you are planning to fertilize, wait until October or next spring. Likewise, now is not a suitable time for any significant pruning. Pruning and fertilizing in late summer may stimulate new growth that may not harden off properly for winter.
Early fall is an excellent time for seeding lawns and putting in a variety of landscape plantings. August is a prime time to prepare planting sites. Large populations of weeds, especially perennial weeds, need to be mechanically removed, making sure to get roots and any vegetative structures or “runners” weeds may have, including underground rhizomes or aboveground stolons.
Another option is to use a nonselective herbicide (weed killer) to control undesirable green plants it is sprayed onto without leaving a residue in the soil. At this time of year, herbicides are only effective when target plants are green and actively growing, not dormant or under drought stress. Apply herbicides at least 2 or 3 weeks ahead of preparing the soil to give them time to work. Always read, understand, and follow all product label directions when considering and using herbicides. Use extreme caution around desirable plantings so they are not damaged.
August can also be an optimum time for improving soils in existing or newly planned gardens or landscape beds. Soil testing is highly recommend for both scenarios. Soil test results provide essential information including soil pH values and levels of major nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium. Proper amendments and adjustments can then be made based on this information.
IN GENERAL
Order spring-flowering bulbs for fall planting.
Keep the garden well watered during dry weather.
Clean up fallen leaves that can harbor disease and insect pests over
the winter.
Turn compost pile and keep it moist.
Plan landscaping projects now for fall planting.
HOME (Indoor plants and activities)
Take cuttings from plants such as impatiens, coleus, geraniums and
wax begonias to overwinter indoors.
Cut flowers from the garden to bring a little color indoors or to dry for
use later.
LANDSCAPE (Lawns, trees, shrubs and flowers)
Don’t fertilize and prune woody plants between mid-August and leaf
fall. It stimulates late growth that will not have time to harden off properly before winter.
Keep faded flowers pinched off bedding plants to promote further flowering and improve plant
appearance.
Cut strawflowers intended for dried flower arrangements when the blooms are only half open. Tie small
bundles of the flowers together and hang them upside down in a well-ventilated place to dry.
Cut sunflowers and dry the heads for roasting or winter bird food.
GARDEN (Vegetables, fruits and herbs)
Temperatures above 90oF often lead to poor fruit set in vegetable crops; upper 90os will stop fruit set in
most crops.
Harvest onions and potatoes after the tops yellow and fall, then cure them in a warm, dry, well-ventilated
area.
Pick beans, tomatoes, peppers and squash often to encourage further production.
Harvest sweet corn and watermelon when ripe.
Remove old plants which have stopped producing to reduce insects and disease.
To prevent volunteer plants the following spring, remove flowers or harvest seed before it falls from herbs
that self-sow such as dill, chamomile and fennel.
To reduce the number of pests on your fruit tree for the coming year, pick up and destroy all fallen fruit.
Prune out and destroy the raspberry and blackberry canes that bore fruits this year.
Source: hort.extension.wisc.edu
Photo credit: britishgardencentres.com
Related: 11 Things to Do in August to Get Your Garden Ready for Fall – TUTORING YOU
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