August is a transition month in the garden. On the Central Coast, we may experience cool, damp mornings because of fog. This means being diligent about pest and disease management to get our heat-loving vegetables through to September. Because of our late start, we may be harvesting tomatoes in October.
We may also experience heat waves. We encourage mulching plants and irrigating in the morning as a regular practice. Two strategies for managing heat stress during a prolonged heat wave are adding a shade covering to heat stressed plants (allow for 4-6 hours of sun), or lifting container plants off the ground a few inches.
Food Gardening:
- Some warm season veggies and herbs like summer squash, beans, cilantro, and basil can still be planted. Research the varieties before planting, noting those that require fewer days to maturity and are disease resistant, for best results.
- August is a good time to plan your fall garden, particularly if you grow from seed. Please read fall gardening in August, which includes resources with recommendation for particular varieties and recommended timing.
- Grow a salad garden in the fall: lettuces, chard, spinach, and other greens.
- Consider adding broccoli and cauliflower
- Roots like carrots, beets and radishes can always be sown.
- Regularly harvesting the bounty from vegetables such as pole beans, cucumbers, and summer squash, prolongs the harvest season.
- Prune basil to the first leaf bud below the flower to encourage further leaf production. Harvest mature leaves frequently to prolong the harvest.
- Monitor your plants for pests and diseases regularly.
California Natives, Flowers, and Ornamentals
- Deadhead spent flowers to prolong seasonal blooms in the garden.
- Start edible annual cool-season flowers such as calendula, pansies, and nasturtiums this month from seed.
- Our fall garden article contains resources with variety and timing recommendations for annual cool-season flowers, fall-planted flowering bulbs and more.
Fruit Trees
- August is National Peach Month! See this month's tip to keep peach trees irrigated after the harvest for a healthy harvest next year.
- Pick up fallen fruit and harvest damaged or moldy fruit to help manage pests and disease. Fruit drop from trees is a normal process. However, environmental issues, such as sudden temperature changes, can exacerbate it.
Miscellaneous
- We encourage Integrated Pest Management, ongoing strategies to manage pest damage. Direct, regular observation is a good practice. For example, carefully check kale, cabbages and broccoli for aphids or caterpillar activity. Take a flashlight tour of your garden at night to catch slugs, snails and other critters you might not see otherwise!
- Although we recommend mulching for garden beds and paths, some native bees build nests in bare soil. Keep a few places open with bare soil to host these important pollinators.
- For planted areas, or preparing fallow beds, suppress weeds while amending your soil by adding compost and mulch to help retain moisture, and/or sheet mulch. Keep mulch at least 6" away from tree trunks and plant stems. Read UCANR publication Mulching for Landscapes and this guide to applying mulch.
Evergreen Tips
- Sterilize planting containers before reusing them. Wash with mild soap and water to clean. Disinfect planting containers with a 10% bleach solution, meaning 1 part bleach to 9 parts water.
- Sterilize your pruning tools regularly to not spread disease.
- Remove diseased plant material (or discard in your green waste can) to keep your garden as disease free as possible. Do not add diseased plant material to your home compost or leave them in your garden beds. Some pests and diseases can overwinter.
- Irrigation systems: Run it to check for leaks. Make repairs and seasonal adjustments.