Summer Gardening Chores: August

Planning:

• Order spring-flowering bulbs for fall planting
• Assess areas in the garden that may need additional planting
• Prepare a landscape plan for fall planting of trees and shrubs
• Continue to take garden notes and/or photographs to plan future plantings

Chores and Maintenance:

• If the weather has been dry, practice water-wise horticultural techniques
• Determine which plants are most important and water them first
• Allow lawns to go dormant; they will green up again when rain returns
• Remove weeds before they set
• Mow lawns regularly to keep grass 2 to 2 1/2 " high
• Spot seed to renovate existing lawn between August 15 and September 15
• Continue to aerate and moisten compost pile to speed decomposition
• Deadhead annuals and perennials to encourage continuous bloom 
• Check for insect pests and treat accordingly
• Remove any fallen leaves and debris which can harbor insect pests and disease organisms
• Continue to apply deer repellent
• Cut flowers for drying: yarrow, strawflower, gomphrena, cockscomb, etc.
• Put up hummingbird feeder

Planting:

• Propagate spring-flowering perennials
• Propagate herbs from new growth and transplant into pots for winter use
• Divide bearded iris and dispose of any borer-damaged parts
• Plant late-season annuals like ornamental kale and cabbage for fall color
• Plant out seedlings of cool-weather, vegetable plants for fall harvest
• Sow seeds of late-harvest vegetables such as beets, carrots and turnips
• Plant out seedling biennials for next year's bloom
• Plant broad-leaved and needle-leaved evergreens from late August through October 15

Pruning/ Fertilizing:

• Continue to deadhead hybrid tea, grandiflora, floribunda, miniature, repeat-blooming shrub and climbing roses
• Lightly prune overgrown hedges and deciduous shrubs
• Prune summer-flowering trees and shrubs once flowering is complete
• Prune all raspberry canes, which have completed fruiting, to the ground
• Cut back leggy annuals
• Feed needle-leaved and broad-leaved evergreens with iron chelate if leaves are yellowing
• Fertilize roses to encourage last new growth and harden off before frost
• Continue to fertilize annuals and container plants each month
• Fertilize chrysanthemums weekly until buds show color

Indoors:

• Shape and pinch back houseplants before returning them indoors
• Check houseplants for insect pests and treat as necessary before bringing them in

*These gardening tips are applicable for an average year in the southeastern New York region: USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 6a and 6b, which include New York City, Northern New Jersey, Rockland County, Westchester County, Southern Connecticut, and parts of Long Island. Plant hardiness zones refer to geographic areas where the growing season of plants is determined by the time of killing frosts in the spring and fall. Even within zones, climatic factors such as altitude, proximity to water, wind exposure, winter sun exposure and snow cover contribute to the existence of different "microclimates" and can influence plant adaptability.