August Gardening Calendar Week 3

Ornamentals

• Continue spraying roses that are susceptible to black spot and other fungus diseases.
• Annuals may appear leggy and worn now. These can be cut back hard and fertilized to produce a new flush of bloom.
• Deadhead annuals and perennials as needed.
• Order bulbs now for fall planting.
• Evergreens can be planted or transplanted now to ensure good rooting before winter arrives. Water both the plant and the planting site several days before moving.
• If you want to grow big dahlia flowers, keep side shoots pinched off and plants watered and fertilized regularly.

Lawns

• Lawns scheduled for renovation this fall should be killed now. Have soil tested to determine fertility needs.

Vegetables

• Compost or till under residues from harvested crops.
• Sow seeds of beans, beets, spinach and turnips now for the fall garden. Spinach may germinate better if seeds are refrigerated for one week before planting.
• Cure onions in a warm, dry place for 2 weeks before storing.
• Begin planting lettuce and radishes for fall now.
• Pinch the growing tips of gourds once adequate fruit set is achieved. This directs energy into ripening fruits, rather than vine production.

Fruits

• Prop up branches of fruit trees that are threatening to break under the weight of a heavy crop.
• Protect ripening fruits from birds by covering plants with a netting.
• Continue to spray ripening fruits to prevent brown rot fungus.
• Watch for fall webworm activity now.
• Cultivate strawberries. Weed preventers can be applied immediately after fertilizing.
• Spray peach and other stone fruits now to protect against peach tree borers.
• Fall-bearing red raspberries are ripening now
• Sprays will be necessary to protect late peaches from oriental fruit moth damage.

Miscellaneous

• Soak shrubs periodically during dry spells with enough water to moisten the soil to a depth of 8-10 inches.
• Once bagworms reach full size, insecticides are ineffective. Pruning off and burning large bags provides better control.
• Hummingbirds are migrating through gardens now.
• Watch Scotch and Austrian pines now for Zimmerman pine moth damage. Yellowing or browning of branch tips and presence of pitch tubes near leaf whorls are indicative. Prune and destroy infected parts.
• Clean out cold frames to prepare for fall use.
• Monitor plants for spider mite activity. Hose these pests off with a forceful spray of water.
• 2nd generation pine needle scale crawlers may be present on mugo pine now.

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