August is one of my favorite months to garden in. For one, I love that we can just eat our way through it! I love the sun kissed smell of the earth as I crunch over the hot redwood needles. This is called forest aromatherapy creating instant peace of mind. I love finding the seed heads popping as they are always full of promise and hope. I collect seeds and plant cuttings wherever I go and sometimes forget that I have put them in my pocket only to find them later. August also brings the annoying pesky yellow jackets who are always butting in. Watch out for them near water sources..
But this time of year is also a magical time of year to play in the garden…so much activity going on-flowers blooming, insects humming, critters crawling, but all at a really lovely pace.
Tomatoes are on autopilot, the cucurbits are cranking, corn and beans are growing taller by the minute. I truly am enthralled with life when I am in my garden. Aside from watching in amazement, my absolute favorite thing is to experience the hummingbirds as they come and check out the spray coming from my hose nozzle. So whether your connection to the plant and animal kingdom is via a planter box on a windowsill or a dream organic veggie garden, enjoy the outdoors, connect to nature, and get your hands dirty!
For this month, breath deep, get your hat on, crank up the tunes and read the garden calendar below to find out what can be sown, planted, and harvested in August plus much much more! Enjoy!
V: Vegetables A: Annuals P: Perennials B: Bulbs, T: Trees H: Herbs
HARVEST
Beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, cucumber, eggplant, green beans, lettuce, onion, peas, pepper, pumpkin, radish, spinach, tomato
DIRECT SOW SEEDS
V: Beans, beets, broccoli, carrots, chard, collards, cucumber, eggplant, kale, onions, peas, pepper, potato, radishes, salad greens, shallot, summer squash, tomato, winter squash
H: Chicory, cilantro
START IN FLATS
V: Beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Asian greens, lettuce, peas, radicchio, spinach, Swiss chard
A: Alyssum, calendula, Iceland poppies, lobelia, marigolds, pansies, petunias, primroses, stock, violas, zinnias
P: Carnations, columbine, coreopsis, feverfew, gaillardia, hardy asters, hollyhock, lupine, penstemon, phlox, purple coneflower, Shasta daisy, statice, yarrow
PLANT
V: Early corn, peas (late in august)
A: Ageratum, celosia, coleus, cosmos, impatiens marigolds, phlox, sweet allysum, zinnias
B: Crocus, dahlias, spider lily, sternbergia
P: Achillea, asters, begonias, butterfly bush, cape fuchsia, coreopsis, gialardia, lantana, lavatera, pelargoniums, rudbekia, salvias, scabiosa, verbena
Plant shrubby perennials for fall bloom, and plant trees for shade, T: cedar, liquid amber, maple, redwood
FERTILIZE N-P-K
Fertilize well watered and well established citrus and roses for fall bloom with a balanced 12-12-12 fertilizer (1/2 cup bonemeal, 2 tablespoons epsom salts and 1/2 cup sulfur). Feed warm season annuals with fish emulsion.
PRUNE
(see July) Deadhead coreopsis, delphinium, rose, Shasta daisy, penstemon, yarrow and summer flowers. Shear California poppies. Lightly shape shrubs and vines, cut out long shoots and suckers, and thin interior growth. Avoid heavy pruning.
MULCH ~ IRRIGATION ~ SOIL
(see July) Replenish mulch. Dig manure and compost into garden. Water azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons well. Keep compost pile moist. Deep water large trees and shrubs. Add a 2-3 inch layer of compost or organic matter to garden.
PESTS
Control spider mites on marigolds, treat for chewing insects, watch for powdery mildew, peach leaf curl and brown rot on stone fruit.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Toss out fallen decaying fruit and prepare beds for fall planting. Harvest flowers for drying like celosia, English lavender, globe amaranth, hydrangea, roses, statice, strawflower, and yarrow. Harvest veggies.