August Gardening Checklist

General

• Enjoy those big juicy tomatoes you dreamed of in January!
• Make notes about your garden. Did you try new vegetables and did some do better than others? Which varieties did you like and why? Make notes about your perennials and annuals too.
• Keep a sharp eye out for garden pests and treat immediately. Use insecticides wisely. Apply the proper product just when and where needed and use dosages according to the package directions. Our knowledgeable staff can assist in determining the problem and the most effective treatment.
• Many four legged critters are looking for extra food to eat and store for winter now. Repellents are helpful; there are odor and taste types available. Be prepared to try more than one type and to alternate several kinds since animals can get used to a constant odor or taste and learn to ignore it.
• Be sure with the warm, dry weather that all of your plants are watered on a regular basis, especially those in pots. They will probably need water every day. Watering in the early morning is best. Continue to fertilize your pots regularly according to the fertilizer package directions.
• Starting around mid-August, garden mums and other fall plants will be ready to add some great fall color to your yard.
• Keep an eye on your compost bin. Compost in progress should be just barely moist. You may need to moisten the bin contents in dry weather to aid the breakdown of compost materials. Keeping it too wet excludes air and may promote odor, but compost materials will not break down if the pile is too dry.

Don’t forget to occasionally sit back, grab a cold glass of lemonade and ENJOY all the beautiful color in your garden!

Birding in Your Backyard

• Clean your bird feeders and bird bath. Keeping them cleaned on a regular basis is important for birds’ health
• Watch for early fall migrant birds. You may see the first south-bound hummingbirds in August.

Lawns

• Aerate your lawn before seeding this fall. Aerating allows water and air to reach the roots, reduces compaction, and improves your lawns’ overall health.
• Lawns also need water in hot dry weather. Be sure lawns get around 1 inch of water per week. A good deep 1 inch soaking once a week is better than light more frequent watering.
• As with your flowers, trees and shrubs, lawns should be watered in the early morning.
• Please be aware that many cities have watering restrictions with regard to lawn watering. Be sure to check with the city in which you live regarding any restrictions in place.
• With less frequent rains, set your mower blade to a higher cutting height (approx. 2.5 to 3 inches). Mowing less frequently and not as short helps shade the grass roots, reducing the need for water. Never cut more than 1/3rd of the grass blade when mowing.
• Setting your lawn mower to mulch will add nutrients back to your lawn.
• Keep lawn mower blades sharp so they cut the grass cleanly. Tearing grass makes it more susceptible to disease.

Vegetables & Annuals

• Remove rotting fruit and leaf debris promptly from all gardens, especially your vegetable garden, to prevent disease and insect problems, and avoid attracting foraging ‘critters’.
• Continue to remove dead flowers and seed heads from annuals to promote continuous blooming as long as the season permits.
• Check out the great fall plants available at the Garden Center, including a wide selection of Garden Mums, several varieties of Flowering Cabbage and Kale, Rudbeckia, Asclepias, Coreopsis, Pennisetum and second season Pansies. Replacing tired annuals with fresh vibrant frost tolerant annuals now will ensure great color right through late fall and early winter.
• Keep watering and fertilizing annuals.  All container plants need to be watered on a regular basis, probably every day for most containers.
• Water hanging annual baskets frequently in warm windy weather.
• Water your vegetable garden deeply and regularly.  For healthy tomato fruit to develop and avoid Blossom End Rot, tomato plants need to be evenly watered.
• Pull weeds when they are small- this will save time and effort later. Small weeds are a great addition to your compost bin as a great source of moisture, Nitrogen and trace minerals.

Trees, Shrubs, Roses, & Perennials

• Stop fertilizing Trees, Shrubs, Roses and Perennials.  They need ample time to slow their growth and harden off for winter.  Feeding in the fall, especially with high Nitrogen fertilizers, promotes new vegetative growth which is more vulnerable to winter die-back. The plant is also less able to store carbohydrates needed for energy in spring.
• Fall is still a good time to plant. Choose fresh, healthy plants and provide them with adequate deep watering.  Newly planted trees and shrubs should be watered deeply two to three times a week, more if necessary. A two inch layer of wood chip mulch beneath plants will keep soil temperature and moisture levels more even and promote better root growth. Keep the mulch one or two inches away from the plant stems to avoid insect and disease problems; extend it beyond the width of the plant’s drip line.
• Begin to leave spent flowers of perennials and roses to set seed now. This helps plants begin the slowdown needed for their winterizing process. Many seed heads can be left for interest and texture in the coming winter garden. They also provide winter food for birds.

Indoor Plants

• Be sure to fertilize every other week for optimum growth.
• Now is also a good time to give them a good shower. This washes off the dust and dirt that accumulates on the foliage from the last couple of months.
• Inspect closely for insects and treat if necessary. Catching a small pest problem early can eliminate an infestation during the winter. This is especially important if your house plants ‘vacation’ outdoors for the summer.

Being Water Wise and Protecting Plants during Times of Drought

Responsible watering practices entail more than just the water you use and when you use it. Here are a few items to help you conserve water and help your plants survive a dry spell.

• Mulch all shrubs and trees heavily with 2 to 3 inches of mulch. This is important in conserving soil moisture and keeping roots cool to reduce the stress on the plants. Perennial health is greatly improved by mulching as well. Keep the mulch an inch or two away from the plant stems to minimize disease problems at the plant crown.
• Water deeply and slowly allowing time for the water to soak into the ground. Apply it at a rate that produces minimal runoff.
• All plants should be watered thoroughly before mulching.
• The best time to water is in the morning. The water has the best chance of soaking into the ground and the plants can utilize the water during the heat of the day. If this is not possible, make sure to water early enough in the evening so that plant leaves can dry before sundown.
• Do not allow established, mature trees to dry out when rain has been infrequent. Even well established trees can die because they did not receive enough water. All it takes to keep them alive is one deep watering a week.
• Remember that plants stressed by lack of moisture are much more vulnerable to insect and disease problems. The best defense against such problems is a healthy plant.
• Be sure and stop in to Linder’s and pick up any items for your watering needs.

If you have questions or problems, our helpful customer service representatives will be happy to answer any questions you may have. We want you to be a successful gardener with less work!