AUGUST
GARDENING TIPS
Late summer brings a shift in the garden. Some perennials begin to fade, but many late-blooming shrubs and perennials are just getting started. Here’s how to keep your landscape thriving through the month and into fall.
Annuals & Containers
Deadhead and lightly prune to keep annuals looking fresh.
Add a diluted liquid fertilizer when watering to encourage continued blooms.
Trees, Shrubs & Perennials
Fertilize trees and shrubs through the end of August. This helps strengthen them before dormancy.
Avoid fertilizing beyond August to prevent tender new growth before frost.
Garden Maintenance
Cut back spent perennials; some may reward you with a second flush of blooms.
Deadhead flowering perennials to prolong their show.
Stake any top-heavy or rain-weary plants.
Vegetable Gardens
Harvest warm-weather crops regularly to encourage more production and prevent them from going to seed.
Now’s the time to sow cool-season crops: lettuce, spinach, arugula, carrots, beets, beans, kale, and peas for fall harvest.
Weeding
Stay vigilant, crabgrass and blackberry thrive in summer heat and can spread quickly.