August is here, but don’t think about sitting back and enjoying a cool glass of lemonade yet! Even if weeds have run ramped, there remain a lot of gardening tasks to tackle.
Mark and label the location of dormant plants now, before removing dead foliage.
Even if you are cursing weeds, removing them before seed-set is incredibly important to weed control in the future. Take out those green sprouts now and compost them before seed heads form. Additionally, weeding now, especially around late-summer and fall blooming plants, will lesson root competition for water and nutrients. Consider summer weeding as necessary for a spectacular garden.
Look at your mulch very critically. Fluff up mulch that is compacted and add mulch to areas where mulch has decomposed. Two inches of fluffy mulch should be enough. Mulch provides a layer of insulation that maintains a constant soil temperature, reduces moisture loss from the soil due to evaporation and breaks down into organic materials that benefit the soil. Don’t over mulch, as this could be too much of a good thing, and water won’t reach the roots.
Continue to water wisely. A deep and thorough watering at the root-zone will yield a better result than just water the topsoil layer.
Container-grown plants need more water than those in the ground. Hanging baskets subject to drying from heat and wind will need to be checked daily. Check frequently for water needs of specific plants.
Lawn care and renovation begins now. Do a soil test and make amendments as suggested. Alternately, consult with the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service GREEN Grass Program for analysis of your individual lawn and consultation regarding corrective measures that will make your lawn the envy of neighbors.
Vegetable gardeners, keep on! Continue to harvest, as harvesting will result in continued production. Search the web for fall vegetable gardening advice on the Virginia Tech website. Begin to plant cool season vegetables this month for fall harvest.
Harvest herbs now for drying and future use. Cut flowers now for drying and use later in flower arrangements. Hang herbs and flowers upside-down in small bundles in a well-ventilated space until dried.
Finally, make garden cleanup a priority. Remove fallen leaves, fruit and litter, especially from fruit trees, rose, peony and shrubs like photinia and pyracantha, or anything that suffered from mold or bacterial diseases this season. Dispose or destroy all material, not adding to your compost pile, to prevent problems in the future.
There is no end to the tasks of a gardener. Just remember to take time to enjoy the garden you have.
For more information, contact the Virginia Cooperative Extension Horticulture Help Desk at 24 Pehlam St. in Warrenton, or call 540-341-4950 extension 1, or by e-mail at http://www.fc-mg.org.
Fauquier Master Gardeners also have a table at the Warrenton Farmers Market on Saturdays from May through September.
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