Does your gardening season end in August? The month can actually be one of the busiest and most rewarding when you give your late-summer garden a boost. It’s prime time as your tomatoes are ripening, flowers may still be blooming, and lawns are soaking up the last stretch of warm weather. And experts say you’ll want to be sure you are keeping plants healthy while getting a head start on fall projects.
“August is all about striking a balance between maintaining what’s growing today and preparing for what’s coming next,” Bruce Spangenberg, horticulture outreach specialist with the UW–Madison Division of Extension explained.
1. Keep the harvest coming
Vegetable gardens still have plenty of life left, but they’ll need some attention to finish the season strong. Consistent watering during hot, dry stretches is critical as vegetables continue developing and ripening. Also, stay on top of harvesting tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini. Picking produce regularly encourages plants to keep producing instead of slowing down.
It’s also a good time to take a few extra minutes to remove overripe or rotting vegetables from your late-summer garden. It may look untidy, but can actually attract picnic beetles and other unwanted visitors.
And while weeds seem determined to thrive no matter the weather, pulling before it goes to seed can save countless hours of weeding next spring.
2. Give flowers a midseason makeover
Are your hanging baskets or patio containers looking a little tired after months of blooming?
A quick trim can make a big difference. Removing faded flowers, cutting back leggy stems and applying a balanced water-soluble fertilizer during watering can help annual flowers bounce back. You’ll be rewarded with fresh growth and colorful blooms that last into early fall.
3. Start thinking about fall
You may be tempted to give your trees and shrubs a late-summer trim, but his is one job that should wait.
“Hold off on major pruning and fertilizing until October or spring,” Spangenberg said. “New growth produced now may not have enough time to harden off before freezing temperatures arrive, making plants more vulnerable to winter damage.”
Spangenberg also suggest using August to prepare areas for fall lawn seeding or new landscape beds. If you remove any weeds now, especially deep-rooted perennial weeds, it gives new grass and plants a much better chance to establish.
But for those stubborn weeds, a nonselective herbicide can be effective if applied to actively growing plants at least two to three weeks before working the soil. You’ll want to carefully follow product directions and avoid contact with desirable plants.
4. Healthy soil means a better garden
One of the most valuable jobs gardeners can tackle this month isn’t always the most exciting. Take time to test the soil.
A soil test provides a clear picture of pH levels and available nutrients such as phosphorus and potassium. It also takes the guesswork out of fertilizing and soil improvement.
With all of this information in hand, you can make smart decisions before planting this fall or next spring. You’ll be creating stronger lawns, healthier gardens, and more productive landscapes for seasons to come.
And whether you’re still gathering baskets of fresh vegetables or already dreaming about next year’s garden, a little boost in August can pay off long after summer comes to an end.
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