Midwest August Garden To-Do List

Harvest fruits and veggie . As the summertime heat settle in and your fruit and vegetable continue to mature , get out in the garden and start to tuck those delicious delight in a seasonable fashion ! Optimum flavour is n’t always a matter of size of it or coloring . Some plants like cucumber and zucchini can be so generative that harvest is a near day-by-day activity . While catching mature vegetable and fruit at peak varies with the case of plant , and certainly your culinary predilection , do n’t leave ripe produce unpicked for too long . It can lead off to lose flavor and nutrient value . Avoid bruising or damaging any veg as they are harvest . Be certain to also hive away them under optimum conditions . If you end up with a excess of veggie , deal making a neighbourly share or donating to a local food camber . Learn about how and when to reap and store common summer veggies here .

blame and process herbs . If you are turn herb , it ’s likely you ’ve already been break up your basil , oregano , dill , and cilantro , among many others . harvest home any herbaceous plant at the optimum time is comparative to when the oil colour responsible for the flavour and/or scent are at the highest . August is a swell month to keep on harvesting , and look at gathering herbs for not only refreshing consumption but for future use following appropriate cognitive process fordryingorfreezing . Removing the flowers of some herbs ( e.g. , gratifying basil ) is a good idea when what you really want is the foliage . This detain the eventual demise of these annuals . harvesting herbs too soon in the morning when the dew has dry out but the heating system of the sidereal day has n’t go down in yet . Keep in mind that perennial herbs should n’t be harvested within one month of your first frost date , as tender new growth encouraged by belated harvesting can be damage in cooler weather .

watch for insect and disease problems . The summertime months bring about their own job with myriadinsect and disease challenge . weather condition is certainly a major factor as it relates to disease and fluctuating populations of problematic insect . Constant scouting of the garden will aid distinguish problems ahead of time and help oneself you speedily determine upon a course of natural action . We know that sound plant and gardens run to have fewer problems with damaging insects and diseases , so accomplish that balance becomes authoritative through the season . Healthy gardens also let in a diverse universe ofbeneficial insectsandpollinators , which should be taken into consideration . of necessity , some problems do rise that will require a course of action ( cultural modifications , removals , treatment , etc . ) . Contact your local lengthiness office for extra assistance in identifying problems and receiving mitigation strategies .

Continue composting . Research has shown that over half of our food waste could be compost and used in the garden ! If you are currently composting , August is a calendar month to essay your compost pile and regard tally moisture if it ’s been a dry year . you’re able to severalise if there is enough wet by using the liquidity crisis test . gouge a span of sample distribution to see if they stick together and shed a couple drops of water . This indicates idealistic moisture . The 1 in of rain per calendar week that we hope for is typically fair to middling to keep a compost wad hydrous . Perhaps you should also turn your pile now as well . The three - bin organization offers the ability to transfer textile between the bins to make a roving organization for new compost materials to be lurch over metre and become ready to use in the garden . If you are n’t compost yet , think the value of repress your C footprint and the benefits of incorporating your own compost into your garden . This material will enrich the ground , improve grease structure , maintain moisture grade , and encourage beneficial bacteria , among other welfare . Learn how to get startedand how to successfully compost on any scale .

Overseed lawns . Depending on your location , late summertime into early drop is the idealistic sentence for overseeding your turf region . New seed at this metre of yr benefits from the warmth of soil for germination , cooler nights , more consistent rainfall , and less competition from warm - season weeds . A lush and vibrant lawn with improved heaviness and tightness serve keep weeds at bay laurel and is resistant to insect and disease challenge . Your seed mix should be tailor for your domain and take into account the amount of sunlight your greensward receives . Healthy turf has many uses for shimmer and recreation , but do view all of the inputs involved with keep up these areas . Explore developments indrought - patient of greensward alternativesand other horticulture approaches that minimise these inputs and conserve imagination .

— Mark Dwyer , former director of horticulture at Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville , Wisconsin , work Landscape Prescriptions by MD .

Fine Gardening Recommended ware

Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade , Trenching Shovel

Johnny ’s Selected Seeds Connecta ® Cultivation Kit

Gilmore Rubber Hose Washer 10pk

Get our late tip , how - to articles , and instructional video sent to your inbox .

Signing you up …

Southwest August Garden To-Do List

South August Garden To-Do List

Southeast August Garden To-Do List

Mid-Atlantic August Garden To-Do List

conjoin Fine Gardening for a free wage alive webinar feature Dr. Janna Beckerman , a renowned plant pathologist as well as professor emerita at Purdue University and the ornamentals proficient coach …

When I spotted a exceptional sand buck cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few months ago , I know I was in trouble . With a delightful color pattern …

When we only prioritise plants we desire over plants our landscape need , each season is filled with a never - stop list of chore : pruning , pinching , lachrymation , treating , amending , and fertilizing , with …

Video

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be deliberate when you introduce the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping — not because you ’re likely to actuate on something , but because you might be dive - bombed by a pair …