Throughout most of the country, the month of August is one of the hottest times of the year.

In the garden, August seems to fall in the lull between the explosive growth of Spring and early Summer, and the cleanup and Winter prep that occurs in the Fall. As such, many homeowners look at the month of August as an opportunity to take a break from yard work and gardening. But while the list of gardening tasks for August is indeed shorter than in many other months, there are still ongoing tasks to perform in the garden:

  • Water: Vegetable gardens, most flowering plants, and the lawn all need about one inch of water every week to keep them green and looking nice. Be sure to water thoroughly and deeply. When possible, water in the morning or early afternoon so the soil has a chance to warm up before the cooler evening hours set in. Deep watering will induce the plant’s roots to grow deeper, where they are less likely to dry out, thereby anchoring the plant into the ground better.
  • Deadhead: Pick off the old dead flowers on your annuals, as well as the spent flowers on perennial plants. A little time spent on grooming the plants will make a big difference in the overall appearance of your landscape. By removing spent flowers, plants will not go into the seed producing stage and should continue to flower longer into the season.
  • Prune: Summer blooming shrubs should be pruned for shape after they have finished flowering. Remove any dead or diseased branches.
  • Weed: Weeds in the garden are harmful because they rob your plants of water and nutrients, harbor insects and diseases, and, on occasion grow tall enough to shade your flowers and plants. Weed control is important in August, because with warmer weather and increased watering, weed seeds will germinate and grow faster, and mature to the point of producing more seeds. Keep the weeds pulled, before they have a chance to flower and go to seed again. Otherwise, you will be fighting newly germinated weed seed for the next several years.

A little preventive work in the month of August will save you lots of time and hard work later this Fall and into next year. And you’ll have a beautiful, well-tended landscape to gaze upon as you lounge in your hammock or dine al fresco on your patio!