August 2020

Water lawns and gardens 3 times a week.
Water established trees slowly and deeply once a week.
Water fruit trees 3 times a week.
Water shrubs 3 times a week.
Water annuals, perennials or other plants in containers 3 times a week depending on pot size and temperatures. (New plantings will require more water the first year.)
Inspect and repair drip irrigation as needed.

Fertilize annual container gardens with a high-phosphorus blooming formula weekly for continued blooms throughout summer into fall.
Fertilize your remaining vegetables with a good organic vegetable food.
Fertilize roses.
Do not fertilize cool-season lawns in temperatures over 85 degrees.

Continue to plant flowering-annuals and perennials in your gardens for colorful flowering all summer into fall.
Plant up or refresh your containers with annuals, perennials and/or small shrubs. Remember the saying, “Thriller, Filler and Spiller!”
Plant native trees, shrubs and perennials for a beautiful low-water xeric landscape.
Plant trees and shrubs.
Mow established lawns weekly.
Apply last treatment of pre-emergent.
Continue to remove spent flower blossoms from roses and flowering plants to encourage repeat flowering.
Refresh mulches as needed to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
Dig up, divide and transplant iris, peonies and other spring bulbs and rhizomes as they go dormant if they have been planted 2 years or more.
Sod or seed a new lawn area.
Broadcast some wildflower seeds in a natural area.

Keep an eye open for aphids, spider mites and other insects. Eliminate as needed.
Use BT to stop damage on your plants from budworms (on geraniums and petunia blossoms) and tomato horn worm (on tomato plants).
Bring in samples of insects or damaged plants to our pharmacy in plastic baggies for solutions to the problem areas. We can also identify plants for you!
Inspect roses and other foliage for powdery mildew and other diseases. Treat as needed.
Apply chelated iron or soil acidifier with iron if you see yellowing of the leaves (known as chlorosis) to trees and shrubs, chitalpa, maples, aspens, willows, euonymus, photinia and other non-native trees and shrubs.
Continue to kill weeds with a good weed killer. Do not let them go to seed to prevent future generations of weeds.
Apply last treatment of pre-emergent. Pre-emergent is recommended every two months throughout growing season.

Harvest vegetables and fruit as they ripen.
Clean up vegetable gardens by removing plants that are no longer producing.
Later in the month you can begin to plant cool-season vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, lettuce and spinach.