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AUGUST GARDENING

August gardening in Rim Country is prime time to start fall vegetable gardens - even as the summer harvest continues.

August gardening in Rim Country is prime time to start fall vegetable gardens – even as the summer harvest continues.

TIME TO START FALL GARDENS.  Prep empty garden beds. Amend the soil. Prepare a landscape plan for fall planting of trees and shrubs.

COMPOST, COMPOST, COMPOST !!! Begin a new compost pile.

KEEP WEEDING.  ADD MULCH!  Target: bindweed, Japanese knotweed, Ailanthus, curly dock, pearlwort, liverwort, spotted spurge.

High Country Garden Club August Gardening bindweed

Bindweed

Annuals: Take and root cuttings of favorite annuals to overwinter for spring transplant. Start pansy seeds indoors this month for gorgeous blooms in the spring. Once the seeds have grown, harden them off, and plant them outdoors. Directly sow flowers such as poppies into the desired area this month. Let cosmos, nigella and calendula self-sow. For fall color, plant ornamental kale and cabbage. 
Bulbs, Corms, Rhizomes & Tubers: Order spring bulbs for fall planting. Dig and divide day lilies and bearded irises once they’ve finished blooming. Dig and transplant peonies, planting “eyes” no more than 1-2 inches below the surface.  Fertilize summer-flowering bulbs such as dahlias.
Herbs: Harvest basil, sage, marjoram and oreganos, mint and tarragon just before bloom for peak flavor. Harvest chamomile, lavender, and rosemary as they flower, blossoms and all. Cut back herbs to refresh growth, especially mint, oregano and thyme. Propagate herbs from new growth and transplant into pots for winter use.
High Country Garden Club Gardening Tips August Gardening houseplants

Houseplants: NEED repotting? Do it now, while they’re still outside (less messy than in the house). Don’t step up more than an inch in diameter (on small pots) or a couple (on large ones). 

Check for insect pests, and treat as necessary. Then, shape and pinch back before returning them indoors.

Perennials: Leave showy seed heads and ones you want for seed-saving; deadhead the rest. Cut flowers for drying: yarrow, strawflower, gomphrena, cockscomb, etc. Propagate spring-flowering perennials.

Roses: After deadheading, cut stem just above a set of five leaves to promote new flowering growth.

Trees and shrubs: NO MORE FERTILIZER! Prune out dead, damaged, diseased wood, suckers and water sprouts. Water trees deeply. Lightly prune overgrown hedges and deciduous shrubs. Prune summer-flowering trees and shrubs once flowering is complete. Prune all raspberry canes which have completed fruiting, to the ground.

Vegetables: Keep up with your harvesting; failure to harvest slows further production. Sow cover crops (red clover, winter rye) if not planting second “cool season” crops.
  •  Tomatoes: Remove suckers. Prune for air circulation at the centers and bottoms. 
  •  Asparagus: keep well-weeded and let ferns grow to feed crowns underneath.
  •  Garlic: Save the heads with the biggest cloves for replanting next month – OR – buy at the farmers’ market/order more now for fall delivery. 

Fall Garden planting:  Prep new beds with compost; add needed amendments. Rotate crops to prevent the depletion of soil nutrients & the build-up of soil-borne diseases and pests. Direct sow seed for beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, chard, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, peas, radishes, spinach, turnips and rutabagas; transplant cabbage, cauliflower, and celery.

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