LIMELIGHT - The Limelight hydrangea has an extended season of incredible blooms from mid-summer through fall. It has small leaves and an incredible quantity of flowers that start off chartreuse that is almost white, then change to bright, light lime and finally pink as fall approaches. (Photo by Norman Winter/MSU Extension Service)
by Bronwynne Bailey
Planning
- Plan beds for bulbs. Order tulips, hyacinths, irises, daffodils, narcissus, and amaryllis.
- Continue to update your gardening calendar. Refer to it next year. For example, if you noticed that your clematis started getting powdery mildew last July, try treating it in June to prevent the disease. Also, photographing your garden over the seasons creates a visual record of your garden through the year.
Planting
- Plant daylilies in a sunny location. They need to be well-established before winter.
- Divide and transplant Louisiana irises, Easter lilies, cannas, liriope, ajuga, and Shasta daisies.
- Plant mums for September bloom and fall color.
- Plant marigolds, asters, zinnias, and celosia to replace faded annuals.
- Plant seeds of calendulas, columbines, English daisies, forget-me-nots, pansies, hollyhock, canterberry bells, foxglove, and violets.
- This is the month to plant many vegetables. You can plant beets, swiss chard, and greens during the early part of the month.
Fertilizing
- If acid-loving plants including azaleas, camelias, and gardenias show signs of chlorosis (yellowing of leaves), treat with iron chelate.
- Feed mums with a complete fertilizer every 2 weeks and water thoroughly.
Pruning-Picking
- Are you trying to grow giant pumpkins? Pay close attention to them this month. When you see other fruits begin to develop or female blossoms, be sure to remove them. By removing either the fruits or female blossoms, it’s encouraging the plant to put its energy into the fruit already growing instead of producing more.
- Cut back annuals such as impatiens and vincas to encourage fall blooms.
- Disbud camellias, dahlias, and chrysanthemums to produce specimen blooms.
- Cut back rose canes to 24–30 inches from the ground for autumn blooms.
- After the last raspberry harvest for the year, prepare for next year, while also avoiding diseases, by pruning out old flowering canes leaving only 3-4 young canes per foot of row. Wait until spring to prune back shoot tips.
- Avoid pruning trees and shrubs since doing so this late in the season can stimulate new growth that will not harden off in time for the cold winter weather ahead. Delay pruning until the end of the dormant season early next spring.
- Dig potatoes after vines have died.
- Harvest cantaloupe when the stem separates from the fruit with gentle prodding.
Watering
- August can be a dry month. Make sure you supplement water as needed. Be sure to water your plants one time per week, but also, be sure to water the plants deeply during this watering. This will make up for any natural water shortage.
- Water early in the morning if possible.
- Trees are especially vulnerable to drought, particularly the oldest and the youngest (those planted in the last few years). Water deeply— using water for these important plants, not the lawn.
- Water potted plants and hanging baskets daily.
- Make sure azaleas, camelias, and fruit plants stay well-watered because they are forming flower buds for next year.
Miscellaneous
- Keep your garden tools and mower blades sharp to make gardening easier. Dirt, rocks, sidewalks and soil quickly dull metal edges. Hone your working edge easily with a cut mill file available at your local hardware store or purchase a specialized garden tool sharpener.
- Consider a Home Consult if you have questions or want to try something new. Master Gardeners can be reached by leaving a message at the MSU Extension Office 662-234-4451. A home consultant specialist will contact you to schedule a visit or answer questions.
- If you are unsure of your soil pH, soil testing is available at the MSU Extension- Lafayette County at 70 F.D. Buddy East Pkwy. For directions on submitting a soil sample click here or search or publication P3856 on website http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/ or call 662-234-4451
- Mow weekly and leave clippings on the lawn.
- Walk through each garden bed each week. Weeds are not just unsightly but steal moisture, nutrients and light. Top up mulch where needed (or maybe you need a layer of cardboard or newsprint first).
- Continue to update your gardening calendar. Refer to it next year. For example, if you noticed that your clematis started getting powdery mildew in July, try treating it in June to prevent the disease. Also, photographing your garden over the seasons creates a visual record of your garden through the year.
- Turn your compost pile.
Blooming
- Pampas grass.
- Ageratums, angel’s trumpets, balsams, begonias, caladiums, cannas, celosia, clematis, dahlias, four-o’clocks, lilies, hostas, impatiens, marigolds, periwinkles, phlox, portulacas, rattle boxes, salvias, zinnias.
Fruiting
- Golden raintrees, beautyberries, apples, pears.
