Gardening Tips
August
Ornamentals
It is not too late to divide bearded iris. Remember to plant the rhizomes shallowly, so that some of the top of the rhizome is exposed to sunlight. Siberian or Japanese irises can be divided in spring or fall when two months of temperatures below 90° F can be assured. Japanese beetles are with us! Handpick or use an appropriate insecticide. DO NOT use pheromone traps….they attract many more beetles than you would otherwise have. Do not disturb the soil in your flower beds during hot, dry August days. Loosening the soil can damage surface roots and increase water loss from the soil. Container-grown flowers can dry out quickly, especially when located in full sun. Feel the soil in containers 1 inch below the surface at least once a day to check for moisture. When watering, apply it long enough so that the water runs out of the drainage holes. If the container was dried out, repeat after one or two hours. Pay special attention to hanging baskets—they dry out very quickly, due to the wind.
Fungal leaf spot, powdery mildew, and other diseases could be afflicting your perennials and warm-season annuals. Heavily infested plants should be removed. Avoid wetting the leaves when watering.
Deadhead spent flowers to encourage continued bloom on annuals and prolonging the blooming period on certain perennials such as bee balm, black-eyed Susan, daylilies, and Monkshood (Aconitum) purple coneflower, perennial salvia, spotted phlox, Stokes’s aster and yarrow.
Support any leaning dahlias, glads and lilies to prevent them from toppling over.
Vegetables Watering properly is critical in the heat of summer. Slow, deep soaking is best done with trickle irrigation or soaker hoses. Update your garden journal, noting vegetables and herbs that did not live up to expectation and those that exceeded them. Make notes of insect and disease problems. Pull out plants that have stopped producing, including bush beans, early cucumbers and summer squash. Planting cool-season vegetables: To determine the planting date for hardy crops like cabbage, cauliflower and collards, count back from the average first-frost date the number of days required to reach maturity (Maplewood’s average first frost date is October 15th.) For half-hardy crops like beets, lettuce, radishes, spinach, and peas allow an additional week.
An old-time trick to starting seeds in midsummer – plant and water them well, then set a board over the row. When the sprouts just reach the soil surface, remove the board.
Feed basil with a liquid fertilizer to keep it productive into the fall. Trim off seed heads or the leaves will taste bitter.
Lawn Care Do not plant seed grass in August. If you have to plant now, plant sod. It is best to plant later in the month since the air temperature are cooler, which puts less stress on the newly planted grass. Soil testing – if you anticipate a significant renovation project this fall, now is the time to initiate a soil test to determine the lime and fertilizer needs. Do it early in the month to allow time to get the results back prior to seeding.
Other
Never fertilize when the temperatures are above 85°. If you are using any side-dressing fertilizers, such as 5-10-5, it is even more important to wait for more suitable weather.
Herbs make attractive, fragrant wreaths, especially when combined with boxwood or ornamental grasses. Green herbs are easier to work with, but wreaths must be hung to dry when completed.
When selecting flowers for dried arrangements, be aware that bright-yellow, orange, pink and blue flowers preserve their colors best. Red and purple petals become darker and less attractive, while white flowers usually fade to a buff or tan color.
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