Gardening in August

Being fairly "green" when it comes to gardening, I love to know what tasks to perform month to month - thus, at the beginning of each month, I will release a  calendar which reviews the varied duties based on the season.

I hope you enjoy!

Gardening in the month of August

The gardening tasks for August are generally shorter than most months. During this time of year you can relax and enjoy harvesting your crops as the end of summer draws near. The key considerations for August is making certain that your garden receives a good amount of water, and also paying close attention to weed control. Due to frequent watering and the warm weather, weeds easily germinate this time of year and will quickly overtake your garden if you are not careful.

More on August Watering:

When watering during the hottest part of summer, keep in mind that a simple sprinkle will not do! There is no reason to be timid when watering the garden, your plants need the water to thoroughly penetrate the soil, 3 to 4 inches deep to allow the roots to properly soak.

I am aware of the water restrictions in Vancouver, but please keep in mind that these retrictions ONLY apply to  lawn care. Vegetable gardens are exempt from the curren bi-laws (for a current update on watering, or to review my source, please see http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/water/conservation/Pages/sprinkling.aspx , scroll down to Exemptions).

One of the absolute BEST sprinklers I have found is also the least expensive, and it comes with a fantastic name! The product is called Dad's Reliable Sprinkler  and you can purchase it at Canadian Tire for $5.99 or www.canadiantire.com .The flow of this sprinkler is even and very easily controled to manage a very small or large garden, also the fact that is cast iron means that it will not move when the pressure is increased AND you don't have to worry about it breaking.



Quick Tip: If you want to be certain that your plants are recieving enough water, press your finger down into the soil 2 to 3 inches, if its moist, its good (sorry, that sounded a little pervy).

Perrenials, Annuals, and Bulbs:

Take  some time this month to look over your garden and pick off the old dead flowers on your annuals, as well as the dead flowers on your perennials. Spending a little time to groom your plants can make a big difference in the glamorous appearance of your urban garden. By removing the dead flowers, the plants will not go into the seed producing stage and should continue to flower longer into the season.

Perennial and biennial plants can be started from seed sown directly into the garden this month or next.

Container grown perennials, shrubs and trees can be planted this month. Always take time to properly preparte the soil by mixing generous quantities of peat moss, compost and processed manure with your existing soil.

Fall blooming Crocus can be planted this month, to give you an extra week or two of flowers after the main garden plants have finished for the year.

If you have roses, prune them in late August to promote the most fall blossoms. Remove about a third of the vigorous growth. Any stems that cross each other should be removed, as well as those that are in the center of the plant. Weak, spindly canes and any damaged shoots should be removed. Except in colder regions, roses should be fertilized through the end of September.