|
| |
 August...gardening chores are
essentially at a lull. But, there are plenty of chores for the avid
gardener to do. Try to perform major chores during the cooler days and
enjoy yourself.
Interior Gardening
Lawns and Landscaping
Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs
Trees and Shrubs
Miscellaneous Tips
Interior Gardening
 | Look for insect damage on your houseplants. Control pests on
your houseplants outside where it's easier. |
| Make sure houseplants placed outdoors have plenty of water. |
Back to top
Lawns and Landscaping
| Reducing lawn size can significantly save you water. Consider
eliminating hard to water areas like narrow strips or irregularly shaped
areas. |
| Fertilize warm-season grasses in the summer and cool-season grasses in
the fall. |
| Turf grasses need water when they lay flat when walked on, and foot
prints remain visible. The over-all color may turn gray-green also. |
| Water lawns early in the morning on hot days. Set your sprinkler
to produce large droplets instead of a fine mist to help prevent
evaporation. Make sure you give your lawn at least one inch of water
once a week. |
| Now is a good time to plan for landscaping in the fall. Decide
on what plants to purchase and where to plant them. |
| Mow your lawn removing no more than 1/3 of the growth. |
| Plan to rejuvenate or plant a new lawn in the fall. |
Back to top
Perennials, Annuals and Bulbs
| Late-blooming perennials, such as
Helianthus, Helenium, Heliopsis, and Rudbeckia, make great color in fall. |
| Start selecting your favorite bulb
varieties. It is time to order your bulbs for planting in the fall. |
| Avoid deep cultivation in your flower beds
during hot dry days. This may reduce water uptake by increasing loss
of soil water and damaging surface roots. |
| This is the best time to purchase
chrysanthemums when they become available. Choose plants that are
just coming into bud. |
| Plant autumn-flowering bulbs as soon as they
become available at garden centers. |
| Don't let hybrid, annual flowers go to seed.
This will weaken the plant and reduce blooms. |
| Keep roots of lilies cool for best growth.
You may have to mulch around the plants. |
| Select a site for spring flowering bulbs.
For daffodils, dig the soil 12 inches deep in a sunny location and work in
fertilizer and compost. |
| Container-grown plants may need water
several times a day. Also avoid water stress which may cause
nutrient leaching. |
| Remove bedding plants that have finished
blooming. Replace them with hardy annuals or mums. |
| Replace container annuals that are past
their prime with new ones, mixing new soil with the old. Add a slow
release fertilizer following the manufacturer's instructions. |
| Plan changes in your perennial plantings.
Autumn is the best time for moving and dividing perennials. |
Back to top
Trees and Shrubs
| Mulched shrubs may not develop mature stem
tissue where they touch the mulch. Remove about 2-3 inches from the base
of the stems in mid-August to harden them off. |
| Avoid deep cultivation around evergreens that
have roots near the ground surface to prevent damage. |
| Check soil pH around azaleas if they look
pale-green to yellow. They need acidic soil to maintain green color.
Sulfur will reduce soil pH. |
| Clean up fallen rose and peony leaves.
They can harbor disease and insect pests over the winter if allowed to remain
on the ground. |
| Root cuttings of woody shrubs and evergreens,
such as azaleas, holly, and hydrangea. |
| Powdery mildew attacks many ornamentals in late
summer when days are warm and nights are cool. Prevent this by using
proper cultivation techniques. Grow resistant varieties, space and prune
plants to improve aeration and lessen shading, water early in the day and at
the base, and reduce nitrogen applications to avoid late-season growth. |
| Water shrubs deeply once a week during this
month. |
| Inspect trunks and branches of dogwood for
injured bark or fine dust being pushed from burrows in trunks by borers.
Contact the Extension office for advice. |
Back to top
Miscellaneous Tips
| Before using a pesticide, diagnose the problem.
Consider such factors such as severe heat or cold, waterlogging or drought,
mower damage and carelessly applied herbicides. |
| Buy only those fertilizers with a guaranteed
analysis and those proved by university research. |
| Remember that dusts cannot be applied as
precisely as sprays, and they may drift to non-target areas. |
| Calibrate your sprinkler to water more slowly if
puddling occurs. |
| Spider mites leave webs on the underside of
leaves that contain their eggs. A grayish stippled appearance of leaves
infested with spider mites is caused by their feeding on plant juices.
These mites thrive in hot, dry weather. Hose off the foliage for minor
infestations. For severe problems, check with the Extension office. |
| If you use pesticides, water your plants
thoroughly to prevent the concentration of the chemical from causing plant
damage. |
| Remove plants that have gone past their prime to
prevent diseases and pest problems. |
| Try to bury or cover slow-release fertilizers
with mulch to help prevent high temperature degradation. |
| Continue to dead-head spent flowers to keep your
garden attractive. Weed as necessary. |
| Whenever you apply pesticides, adhere strictly
to the directions on the package. Do not spray when temperatures are
over 85° F or when it is windy. |
Back to top
|
