Tips by the Month

Tips for August

1. Stay cool in the hot August sun!

   August is a month of droughts and downpours. Try to keep your garden evenly watered during dry spells. Long soaks are better than short showers.
   
   
2. Harvest vegetables regularly to avoid crops of gigantic inedible vegetables.
   
   
3. If you're not vegetable gardening, stop by a farmers market for the freshest fruits, berries, flowers, and vegetables.
   
4. Plant a second crop of cool season vegetables such as lettuces, spinach, green onions, carrots, and radishes. I'm also partial to winter pansies, a hardy perennial that can be started now.
   
   
5. Have you turned your compost yet? Now might be a good time.
   
   
6. Especially in northern climates, you may want to start looking into dividing and transplanting perennials that have gotten big. Choose a cool, cloudy day for this project to reduce trauma to the plants, and don't forget to water thoroughly to give roots a good start in the new location.
7. Mosquitoes can still be a problem. To prevent them from breeding in your yard, make sure you don't have any standing water in tubs, rain barrels, and other containers. Change the water in your bird bath frequently.
   
   
8. Build or buy a bird feeder and install it where you will be able to see it from the house. The birds will thank you in winter, and you'll be able to enjoy watching them as well.
   
   
9. If you're planning an expansion of your garden beds, start thinking about where you want them. It makes sense to get the bed dug before the ground freezes, so you can get right to cultivation and planting in the spring.
   
10. Enjoy the last lazy days of summer with a tall cold lemonade garnished with garden mint.