Gardening To Do List for August - Big Y® World Class Market®

OUTDOORS
Hot and humid

PLANT AND TRANSPLANT

Broadleaf evergreens, especially hollies.
Autumn crocus, sternbergia, and colchicum for October bloom.
Chrysanthemums and Madonna lilies for fall color.
Biennial seedlings in a nursery bed or a permanent place in garden to bloom next year.
Sow cool-season vegetables.
Transplant Brussels sprouts and cabbage family seedlings to the garden

CHORES AND MAINTENANCE

Train and trim espaliers and topiaries for late-season growth. Check plant ties that may be strangling branches.
Prime time to install new lawns and revive established ones. Dethatch and aerate old lawns to promote new growth.
Deadhead, spray, and water roses.
Cut back early perennials and annuals to promote fall bloom.
Take perennial cuttings for propagation. Continue to cut flowers and herbs for drying.
Check plants growing on stakes and trellises.
Clean cold frames for fall use.
Continue to add to compost pile. Dispose of diseased material.
If vacationing: Water and mulch garden well; remove all blossoms on perennials and annuals to encourage rebloom upon your return.
In the vegetable garden: Take herb cuttings from new growth to transplant into garden or into pots for use indoors during winter. Prune tomato plants. Pull and compost spent crops and overgrown vegetables. Prepare vacant areas for reseeding or transplants. Spray fruit trees.
Pull mildewed annuals
Remove weeds before they set seed.

TOOL TIP
On hard ground, the chopping motion of the draw hoe is better than the sliding action of a Dutch hoe. It's also good for working close to plants, loosening heavy weeds, and unearthing potatoes.