August Garden Tips - Keeping our Summer Gardens Going

Summer is flying by and somehow it is already August, kids are going back to school and we are starting to dream of fall gardens. Our August gardens still need our love and care though. Here are some tips to keep your August garden going:

1. Morning Watering: Water your plants early in the morning while it's still cool. This practice reduces evaporation and moisture loss, ensuring plants receive the water they need to thrive. Additionally, morning watering allows the plants to dry off during the day, reducing the risk of fungal diseases.
2. Keep Young Plants Watered: Monitor fruit and shade trees, shrubs, and perennials planted within the last year closely. Young roots are especially vulnerable to drying out during their first summer. Check soil moisture regularly to prevent dehydration.
3. Monitor Vegetable Plants: Wilting or drooping leaves on vegetable plants during hot afternoons do not always indicate dry soil. Check the soil moisture by digging down and water only when necessary to avoid overwatering.
4. Prune Fruit Trees: After harvesting fruit, prune the new summer growth of your fruit trees. This is a great way to properly manage growth, shape the tree, and an opportunity to remove dead or diseased wood. The pruning will also help sunlight penetrate the interior wood, encouraging the development of fruiting wood for the next season.
5. Regular Harvesting: Harvest beans, cucumbers, squash, and tomatoes at least every other day. Regular harvesting promotes further production, ensuring a continuous and bountiful supply of summer vegetables.
6. Protect Tree Trunks: Apply a coat of light-colored interior latex paint to tree trunks to prevent sunscald, a condition where the bark on the south or southwest side of a tree becomes sunburned. The light-colored paint reflects sunlight, helping to keep the bark temperature more consistent and preventing damage from the sun. This is particularly important for young trees, as they have not yet developed a thick bark to protect them from the sun's rays.
7. Weed Control: Continue pulling weeds before they form seed heads and scatter their seeds. Consistent weeding now will reduce weed problems later in the season.
8. Prune Berry Canes: After berry harvest, prune the canes that have finished bearing fruit. Different berries require specific pruning techniques, so know your variety and prune accordingly.
9. Tomato Care: Watch for pests and diseases on your tomato plants. Maintain a consistent watering schedule to prevent issues like blossom end rot and monitor for destructive pests like the tomato hornworm caterpillar.
10. Care for Roses: Hose off the foliage of roses frequently to reduce the likelihood of powdery mildew and discourage spider mites. Contrary to popular belief, this practice benefits the plants' health. Complete this task early in the day to allow leaves to dry before evening, it's important to ensure proper air circulation and avoid prolonged wet conditions to prevent other fungal issues.
11. Planting Warm-Season Vegetables: July is still an excellent time to plant warm-season vegetables such as beans, cucumbers, eggplants, okra, peppers, squash, and tomatoes. These vegetables thrive in warm weather and can be harvested in late summer or early fall. Ensure they are well-watered to support their growth.
12. Plan Cool-Season Vegetable Garden: It's time to start planning our Fall gardens. This is a time to plant cool season crops like leafy greens (kale, chard, mustard greens, arugula, lettuce, spinach, bok choi and more), brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, romanesco, Brussels, kohlrabi), root veggies (radish, beets, turnips, carrots) plus peas, garlic, onions, and leeks.

Keep your August gardens going with these tips and enjoy dreaming of the cooler weather coming soon!

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