Follow these steps to ensure success ….

The work in the garden never seems to end.  It is a labor of love, even in August.  Here’s some tips for this month:

• Continue monitoring watering needs of plants.
• Scout for diseases and insects.
• Prune and deadhead roses by mid-August to help promote fall flowering. Also, apply the last fertilizing to them.
• Toward the end of the month, divide and replant spring-blooming perennials like iris, peonies, and daylilies, if needed.
• Grassy winter weeds like annual bluegrass (Poa annual) can be prevented with a pre-emergent herbicide application late in the month.
• Areas of turf with large brown spots should be checked for high numbers of grubs. Mid- to late August is the best time to control heavy white grub infestations in lawns or beds.
• This month should be the last application of fertilizer for the year for warm season lawns.
• Webworms can show up at this time. Remove webs that enclose branches and destroy, or spray with an appropriate pesticide being sure to penetrate the web well.
• Yellow-necked caterpillars can be severe on river birch, oaks, and crabapples.
• Plant trees, shrubs and perennials now, so they can take root, and keep them well watered.
• Trim and feed hanging baskets to prolong their beauty.
• Pick herbs for fresh use and for drying. Harvesting will keep them growing longer.
• Check your mulch hasn’t decomposed and add more as needed.
• Start killing off bermuda grass now for fall seeding. It may take multiple applications of Hi-Yield KILL-ZALL. Keep area watered between sprays to encourage regrowth that then can be killed with the next spray.
• Late in the month start controlling weeds with Fertilome Weed-Out to have a clean start for overseeding.
• Plant fall vegetables such as cabbage plants and seed lettuce, spinach, radishes, beets and turnips.

Bonus August Quick Tip

Always good to know

Numerous bedding plants, such as impatiens, begonias, salvias and geraniums, may look a little stressed now. Blame the heat.
Many bedding plants (especially the tender perennials we grow as annuals) can be cut back in late July or early August. They will revive as the weather cools and provide color until November or longer.

Container plants should not be placed  directly onto wooden decks. The moisture underneath can damage the wood (saucers do the same thing). Boost pots off the surface an inch or two with pieces of brick or terra-cotta pot supports (called “pot feet”) available at some local nurseries and garden shops. The pot feet may also help the drainage holes to function better and can prevent dark stains under pots on concrete.