August Gardening Tips

In need of some August gardening tips? We could sure use some help too!

The first suggestion is to make the best use of the water you have by watering early in the morning. Otherwise, much of the water will evaporate before the plants can benefit. To further avoid excess evaporation, use a sprinkler that produces large drops of water instead of a fine mist. Did you know that plants need about one inch of water each week during this long summer period? Your irrigation schedule should be adjusted to allow for this infiltration.

Next, protect your plants from harsh temperatures. Soil that is exposed can heat up to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This is hot enough to kill those tender root hairs near the surface! Three to four inches of mulch can make the soil much cooler. Have you considered adding mulch to your landscape? It can provide many positive effects. It can reduce soil temperature, conserve water by reducing evaporation, and add some color to your garden. 

Also, August is the last month to plant a new lawn before winter temperatures arrive. Newly-installed lawns need at least six to eight weeks to establish a healthy root system. Don’t forget to prune roses and weeds back. Manicuring buds on annuals and perennials will encourage continuous blooming well into fall.

Finally, tomatoes and peppers planted earlier in the year will not set fruit during the heat of the summer, even though they may still be flowering. If the plants remain healthy, they will still produce once the temperatures stay below 90 degrees. Sidedress established healthy plants with fertilizer and keep watered to encourage new growth. Set out tomato transplants; look for early maturing variety (65 to 75 days). Our average first freeze is mid-November and tomato maturity slows down as the days get cool and cloudy.

Hope you enjoyed these August gardening tips and you see an improvement to your plants!