Navigating August in the garden can be a little confusing, with some plants still in their prime and others wilting from exhaustion in the summer heat. But, it's also a month where lots of maintenance slows down, so you can sit back and simply enjoy your late-season garden.
While there are still things to tick off your summer gardening checklist this month, many perennials are starting to prepare for dormancy and don't need as much watering, fertilizing, and deadheading. In fact, allowing some plants to fade is good for wildlife, providing shelter and food sources in fall and winter.
At the same time, you don't want to neglect the essential August tasks, as it could sabotage your late-summer display. To help you strike the balance, experts share three jobs you can stop doing in August. And with a bit more time on your hands, why not start planning next year's spring garden with this garden journal from Amazon?
1. Removing Every Faded Flower
Deadheading is a technique used through the growing season where you remove faded blooms to redirect a plant's energy into putting out more.
But, as we reach mid-August and our plants are slow down, this isn't necessarily a productive thing to do.
'You're not going to get quite as much growth from deadheading in August as you are earlier in this season. Late summer is a time to look at your flowers and decide what you want to let go to seed from those deadheads,' says Lindsey Chastain, homesteader and founder at The Waddle and Cluck.
The best plants for seed heads will bring architectural interest to your fall garden and help feed birds in winter.
Design expertise in your inbox – from inspiring decorating ideas and beautiful celebrity homes to practical gardening advice and shopping round-ups.
'We'll still keep deadheading our dahlias, roses, zinnias, and cosmos, but by late August we'll start leaving some of the seed heads on coneflowers, sunflowers, rudbeckia for the birds,' says Christina Stembel from Farmgirl Flowers.
If you are planning to deadhead your late-summer blooms that will still flower into fall, use clean, sharp pruning shears (like these Fiskars pruning snips from Amazon).
Lindsey Chastain, a dedicated homesteader and skilled writer, is the driving force behind The Waddle and Cluck, a platform that celebrates sustainable living, gardening, and responsible farming
Christina Stembel launched Farmgirl Flowers in San Francisco in 2010. She has grown it into a wildly successful national brand and the only large-scale, woman-owned and predominantly women-led D2C e-commerce flower company. Farmgirl ships signature burlap-wrapped bouquets, centerpieces, and plants to recipients from coast to coast. Every arrangement is filled with the best-of-the-best, freshest, seasonal flowers and not only does Farmgirl combat the floral industry’s plastic waste issue by wrapping bouquets in upcycled burlap from coffee roasters, but this sustainable style is a bestseller too.
2. Watering Frequently
While it is important to keep on top of watering plants in hot weather, keep an eye on the forecast for late-August temperatures dropping and adjust your watering frequency accordingly.
'I find that during August, many of my clients are overwatering their garden beds which leads to issues like powdery mildew, root rot, and a bounty of mushrooms popping up around their plants,' says landscape designer, Ellie Black.
'If you have an automated system, adjust it so that it's watering deeply but less often so that your plants can continue to thrive in the late-summer season,' she advises.
You can use a soaker hose (like this from Amazon), a drip irrigation system (like this kit from Amazon), or even these self-watering terracotta spikes from Walmart to keep your plants hydrated.
To prevent overwatering, always check the soil before. You can do this by feeling it with your finger or using a soil moisture meter from Amazon.
Ellie Black is a landscape designer based in Arlington, Virginia. As a lifelong gardener, Ellie deepened her horticultural expertise through education with the RHS, and has never stopped learning through hands-on practice in the field. She brings a rare blend of creative strategy and botanical knowledge to every project, designing landscapes that are as attuned to her clients' lifestyles and needs as they are to the natural environment around them.
3. Fertilizing Perennials
It can actually be a fertilizing mistake to feed your plants through scorching temperatures. It can burn plant roots and make foliage susceptible to damage.
'Fertilizer is intended to encourage growth, and during these hottest months of the year, your plants are not trying to grow. They're trying to survive the heat,' Lindsey Chastain says.
'They will look wilted because they're trying to decrease the surface area that the sun has access to. Instead of growth, you want to focus on making sure that your plants have enough moisture and shade,' she advises
You can protect your plants with this shade cloth from Amazon and consider mulching to help rescue heat-stressed plants, but put the fertilizer away until early spring when your plants are entering their next active growth season.
What to Shop
This soaker hose can provide deep watering, with its porous material delivering moisture directly to plant roots.
Use this soil moisture meter to check your plant's soil before watering. It gives you an instant reading once inserted in the soil.
50% Shade Cloth
Use this shade cloth to protect sensitive plants from scorching sunlight. It's ideal for plants in a permanent position that can't be moved.
To really boost your late-summer garden, consider incorporating ways to bring back color to your garden in August. This will extend your summer display through to fall, ideal for late-season hosting in the garden.
If you love inspiring garden ideas, outdoor advice, and the latest news, why not sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox?