August Gardening

• Be sure to water frequently and thoroughly during the intense heat. Don't forget young vegetable plants.
• Early in the month plant fall potatoes and later, radishes, carrots, and lettuce. Plant fall transplants of broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.
• Water your compost pile to aid decomposition. With your compost pile mostly depleted after preparing beds for the fall season, prepare a new compost pile to receive fall leaves and other garden refuse.
• If you're going on vacation for more than four or five days, arrange for someone to tend your lawn and garden. Water thoroughly every five to seven days if there is no rain. Newly sown plants need more frequent watering and special attention.
• Begin to plant bluebonnet and other spring wildflower seeds late in the month. Prepare soil and plant half an inch deep.
• Prune rosebushes to reinvigorate for fall blooming. Fertilize and water well.
• Revive flower bed appearance by replacing spent and faded annuals with new ones from the garden center. They'll bloom until frost.
• Make a second application of chinch bug control early this month, if needed.
• Plant pansy and calendula seed for fall and winter color.
• Weekly foliar feeding of a good seaweed fertilizer (like Maxicrop) really helps plants withstand the stress of prolonged heat.
• Normal Temp. Range: 95-105 Average Rainfall: 2.52"