August

Watering

• It’s hot! Keep watering everything in the morning every other day. Maintain irrigation systems.
• New plantings will require daily watering for 2 weeks then more than usual the first year.
• Water plants in containers three times a week.
• Use mulches to retain moisture
• Water cool season lawns three times a week.
• Water trees and shrubs three times a week.
• Use rain barrels to harvest rain water from monsoon rains.
• Regularly water houseplants. Do not let houseplants dry out/

Fertilizing

• Fertilize house plants with a good water soluble fertilizer.
• Fertilize trees and shrubs with SuperGreen.
• Fertilize container gardens with BR-61 or Bloom Max weekly for continuous flowering through the summer.
• Fertilize all new plantings with Bonide Root and Grow

Yard and Garden

• Seed warm season lawns with native grass seed mixes such as Buffalo or Blue Grama
• Refresh or plant your container gardens with annual flowering plants.
• Mow established lawns weekly.
• Remove spent flower blossoms from Roses and flowering plants as needed; this may encourage new blooms in September
• Apply Bonide pre-emergent to lawns and ornamental beds to prevent weed seed germination.
• Kill weeds with various Bonide herbicides or pull weeds.
• Prune spring flowering shrubs shortly after blooming in late spring or early summer.
• Plant fruit trees: Apple, Apricot, Cherry, Pecan, Plum, Pear, Pomegranate.
• Plant ornamental grasses for a spectacular fall showing.
• Plant shrubs and vines.
• Plant annual bedding plants.
• Plant perennials.
• Plant native plants.
• Renew mulches as necessary.
• Take houseplants outside and place in a shady, protected area. This is a great time to shower the dust off the leaves, leach out the soil and fertilize.
• Remove old vegetable plants that have stopped producing; this will help eliminate pests and diseases from your garden.
• Start your fall vegetable garden by planting broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, carrots, collards, lettuce, and other cool-season vegetables that will winter over.
• Divide and transplant iris, peonies, and other spring blooms as they go dormant.
• Order spring-blooming bulbs
• Pick your annuals and perennials frequently to encourage more flower production.

Insects and Diseases

• Apply Bonide Tree and Shrub after flowering to protect our bees. Do not use on any edibles.
• Check for pinon needle scale and spray with malathion if you see them.
• Spray Bonide Fruit Tree Spray and Plant Guard to control insects and diseases.
• Apply chelated iron or soil acidifier with iron to chlorsis (yellowing leaves) prone trees and shrubs, such as maples, aspen and other non-native trees and shrubs.
• Keep an eye open for aphids, spider mites, etc and eliminate as necessary.
• Check roses and other foliage for powdery mildew.
• Use BT or Thuricide for bud worm on Petunias, Geraniums, and Horn Worms on tomatoes.
• Treat for bores on trees and fruit trees by saturating the base of trunk and the trunk itself.

Vegetables

• Plant squash now to avoid squash bugs!
• Plant herbs such as thyme, lavender, mints and and so many more!
• Harvest vegetables as they ripen.

Miscellaneous

• Eliminate annual weeds by applying Hi-Yield, Kill-Zall.
• Start a new compost bin.
• Inspect and repair drip irrigation and sprinkler systems as needed.
• Fruit trees are developing fruit, keep your trees hydrated and fertilize according to the label.