August is the time to plant fall vegetables, color and more

August is just around the corner, so here is your to-do list.

There’s still time to plant purslane, purslane, marigold, zinnia, copper canyon daisies, caladias, and ornamental grasses for instant color. There are many great types of salvia. For flowers later, use spider lilies, autumn crocuses, autumn amaryllis, mums, and asters.

Plant fall vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, cabbage, kale, radishes, beets, carrots, and spring onions.

Plant buffalo and Bermuda grass through seeds or sod. Plant St. Augustine and Zoysia through firm sward.

Use horsewort, liriope, ophiopogon, Persian ivy, and other ground cover in shady areas where the lawn is struggling. Wildflower seeds are better planted now than they were in autumn.

Treat harmful caterpillars with Bti or Spinosad products – not toxic chemicals.(Howard Garrett / special article)

Prune declining flowering plants to encourage more blooms. It is an excellent time to prune trees and shrubs as they can heal and grow better in summer than in fall or winter. Please no flush cuts or cut colors.

Foliar fertilization of all plantings with Garrett Juice or Compost Tea. Also soak the soil of new or struggling plants. Apply the Sick Tree Treatment to all stressed trees.

Water deep and as infrequent as possible. Your garden and landscape will typically need more water this month. Potted plants and hanging baskets need water every day. Freely radiated lava sand makes a significant contribution to retaining moisture and reducing the need for irrigation.

The best pest control comes from planting adapted plants, maintaining healthy soil, and avoiding nitrogen-rich fertilizers and toxic chemical pesticides. This simple approach protects the beneficial microbes and insects, so destructive pests are rare.

Spray the few pests that show up with non-killing repellants like garlic and garlic-pepper tea first. If that doesn’t stop them all, move on to the lowest toxicity, “killing” organic pesticides like orange oil, spinosad, and high quality neem products. Add an ounce of liquid molasses per gallon to any of the liquid products to make them more effective and last longer.

Organically maintained gardens have relatively few pest problems.(Howard Garrett / special article)

Apply beneficial nematodes to pinworms and other soil pests. Spray orange oil on chinch bugs. Do not use pyrethrum products for these or any other pests. Apply dry molasses to the entire site for fire ants. Spray Bt or Spinosad products on caterpillars that are chewing leaves.

Whole cornmeal applications stop all fungal diseases of the lawn – brown spots, gray leaf spots, all spots, etc. Use at about 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Hydrogen peroxide can help with various diseases and fight algae in ponds and water features. See details on Dirtdoctor.com.

Garlic, cedar oil, liquid bti, and oil from eucalyptus products sprinkled in alternating order provide the best mosquito control.

Mow weekly and leave clippings on the lawn. Sprinkle harmful weeds with 20% vinegar with 1 ounce of molasses added per gallon. Spray carefully and selectively in beds and lawns. This also works to control suction cups on the bases of trees and other woody trees.

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