Gardening Calendar: August

We know – it’s hot outside – but it’s still important to take some time to check some gardening tasks off your list this month.

Fill your birdbaths with fresh water daily for our feathered friends
Sanding watering is a great mosquito breeding ground so on that note – a daily refill of water will help prevent any breeding grounds.
Check other areas around your home for any standing water that mosquitoes may breed in
If you didn’t mulch this Spring, consider top dressing your landscape beds with a fresh coat of mulch to help retain moisture. (Mulch should be around 3″ deep)

Spot spraying can also be done for weeds in the landscape and lawn. We suggest one keeping a small 1-2 gallon pump spray dedicated to a selective lawn herbicide, such as Fertilome Weed Out, for spot spraying selective weeds on a selective basis.
Brown patches in lawn? It’s likely due to heat/lack of water.
During dry spells, water the lawn thoroughly and deeply in the morning. Watering in the morning ensures it is dry by nightfall and helps prevent any disease or fungal issues. Watering deeply encourages deep root growth and helps the lawn stay hydrated. A good deep watering a few times a week is better than a light daily sprinkle.
Keep lawns mowed at a 3-4″ grass height. Shorter lawns get more stressed and cause unsightly drying out especially during hot & dry periods.

Remove any faded blooms on your landscape roses such as Knockouts and Drift – you can also remove any foliage that may have been damaged by Japanese Beetles.
You can read more about fertilizing and caring for roses here. Fertilome’s website is a terrific resource for gardening.
Apply Liquid Iron to Azaleas & Rhododendrons. It doesn’t encourage new growth for these Spring bloomers but instead enhances foliage size and color which can look peakish this time of year.
You may notice insects such as Aphids, Lacebug, Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, and scales infest and graze on the foliage and internal fluids of your trees & shrubs. Fertilome Tree & Shrub Insecticide Drench, is a soil drench form of systemic insecticide that is applied to the soil and root area and taken up by the shrub for a year of insect control. No spraying or difficult to apply methods. Simply follow the instructions for the shrub or tree size and blend with a bit of water to apply to the soil and root area.

If your tomato plants were determinate (producing all in the same 2-3 weeks) and have stopped producing with signs of late blight, pull them from the garden and throw them away. Do NOT compost these.
Remove any other plants that have finished for the season.
Start thinking of your fall garden as you can begin sowing seeds soon for cool season plants such as lettuce, spinach, beets, kale, cabbage, broccoli, & carrots. Purchase seeds if you do not already have them. We will have starter plants beginning in late August through mid-September.
Harvest herbs such as Basil, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, & Sage. Basil is best harvested before flowering though you can also dry flowers and use them, as well. Read more on how to keep your harvested herbs longer here.
Have some veggies that are too big to use? Compost them! Never composted before? Read more on composting here.
If you have ready compost on hand, use it to fill in and amend spots in the garden where you have removed finished plants.
Keep and eye on melons such as watermelon and cantaloupe as the time to harvest is here or approaching soon.

Remove any faded blooms or stalks also known as “deadheading”. This helps prolong blooming and encourages more new blooms to appear while maintaining a neat appearance.
Divide and replant Bearded Iris this month. After blooming, cut back foliage by 2/3, divide rhizomes (remove any dead rhizomes) and replant with 1/3 of the rhizome above soil level.
Self-sowing spreading weeds such as Joe Pye, Cleome, & Lemon Balm are aggressive self-sowers so remove seed heads if you want to help control their spread in your landscape.

Yes – you still can buy beautiful summer flowers! Summer flowers bloom until first frost which frequently doesn’t occur until October here so you have plenty of time to enjoy their lovely bright colors. You can also use fresh summer annuals to freshen up pots that have fizzled out in the heat.
Don’t forget to fertilize flowering containers every other week with Fertilome 20-20-20 and deadhead any faded flowers to maintain a neat appearance and encourage further blooming.
Take pictures of your garden or landscape in it’s peak. It will be an easy reference for what you want to repeat next year and what you may not.

You can add new fish and plants through Fall.
Any time more than 20-25% of the pond’s water volume is added new, a dechlorinater product should be added to ensure that your fish are not killed. Heavy volumes of chlorine like present in tap water are toxic to fish. Always keep some Dechlorinater on hand. Many pond owners have experienced accidentally leaving on a water hose too long to only find out that they don’t have a dechlorinating product on hand.

Questions about a particular plant or task? Just reach out to us at 423-245-4769, message us on social, or e-mail us at info@evergreenofch.com