Ryan Sproul
Posted: Tuesday, August 6, 2013 12:00 am
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Updated: 12:17 pm, Tue Aug 6, 2013.
Grove Sun – Delaware County Journal
Well it has sure been nice to get all the rains we have had over the last several weeks. Anytime it rains in July and August is good, but the amount of rain we have received is just plain awesome.
For this week’s column, I wanted to share some horticulture tips for the month of August. Give me a call here in the Delaware County OSU Extension Office at 918-253-4332 if there is anything I can help you with. Have a good week!!!
Vegetables
• August is a good month to start your fall vegetable garden. Bush beans, cucumbers and summer squash can be replanted for another crop. Beets, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, lettuce and other cool-season crops can also be planted at this time.
• Soak vegetable seed overnight prior to planting. Once planted, cover them with compost to avoid soil crusting. Mulch to keep planting bed moist and provide shade during initial establishment. Monitor and control insect pests that prevent a good start of plants in your fall garden.
Fruit and Nut
• Continue protective insect applications on the fruit orchard. A good spray schedule is often abandoned too early. Follow directions on last application prior to harvest.
Flowers
• Towards the end of the month, divide and replant spring-blooming perennials like iris, peonies and daylilies if needed.
General
• Water compost during extremely dry periods so that it remains active. Turn the pile to generate heat throughout for proper sterilization.
• Always follow directions on both synthetic and natural pesticide products.
• Watch for high populations of caterpillars, aphids, spider mites, thrips, scales and other insects on plant material in the garden and landscape and treat as needed.
• Water all plants thoroughly unless rainfall has been adequate. It is better to water more in depth, less often and early in the morning.
Trees and Shrubs
• Discontinue deadheading roses by mid-August to help initiate winter hardiness.
• Watch for 2nd generation of fall webworm in late August/early September. Remove webs that enclose branches and destroy; or spray with good penetration with an appropriate insecticide.
Lawn and Turf
• Grassy winter weeds like Poa annua, better known as annual bluegrass, can be prevented with a preemergence herbicide application in late August. Water in the product after application.
• Areas of turf with large brown spots should be checked for high numbers of grubs. Mid-to-late August is the best time to control heavy white grub infestations in the lawn. Apply appropriate insecticide if white grubs are a problem. Water product into soil.
• Tall fescue should be mowed at 3 inches during the hot summer and up to 3½ inches if it grows under heavier shade.
• For areas being converted to tall fescue this fall, begin spraying out bermudagrass with a product containing glyphosate in early August.
• Irrigated warm-season lawns can be fertilized once again; apply 0.5 lb N/1,000 sq ft in early to mid-August.
• Brown patch of cool-season grasses can be a problem.
Ryan Sproul is the extension educator, for ag and 4-H youth development, with the OSU Extension Services in Delaware County. For more information, or to contact Sproul, persons interested may call 918-253-4332 or email ryan.sproul@okstate.edu.
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Tuesday, August 6, 2013 12:00 am.
Updated: 12:17 pm.
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