What to Do in Your Garden in Mid-August: A Boise Gardener’s Checklist
August can be one of the most demanding months for gardeners in Boise and throughout the Treasure Valley. Hot temperatures, dry conditions, and long summer days can put extra stress on lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetable gardens.
But August is also an important transition month. The choices you make now can help your landscape finish the summer strong and prepare it for the cooler months ahead.
Here are some important things to keep on your gardening list this month.
1. Keep Your Plants Properly Watered
August heat can quickly dry out the soil, especially around newly planted trees and shrubs.
Rather than watering lightly every day, focus on providing a thorough soaking that reaches deeper into the soil. Newly planted trees and shrubs require particular attention because their root systems are still becoming established.
Check the soil around your plants before watering and adjust your watering schedule according to the weather, soil conditions, and needs of each plant.
2. Pay Special Attention to Newly Planted Trees and Shrubs
Trees and shrubs planted this year need extra care during the heat of summer.
Check them regularly for signs of drought stress, including wilting leaves, curling foliage, premature leaf drop, or dry soil around the root zone.
A layer of mulch around the base of your plants can help conserve moisture and moderate soil temperatures. Be careful not to pile mulch directly against the trunk or stems.
3. Keep Your Flowers Blooming
Many annuals and perennials can continue producing beautiful flowers well into late summer if they receive the care they need. Consider using Ferti-lome Blooming & Rooting food for outstanding results.
Remove spent flowers regularly through deadheading. This encourages many flowering plants to put their energy into producing additional blooms rather than seeds.
Continue monitoring your plants for insects and diseases, particularly when hot weather and plant stress create favorable conditions for problems to develop.
4. Keep Weeds Under Control
Don’t let the August heat convince you to give up on the weeds!
Weeds compete with your landscape plants for water and nutrients. Removing them while they are still young is much easier than allowing them to mature and produce seeds.
A good layer of mulch can also help reduce new weed growth while helping the soil retain moisture.
5. Check Your Plants for Insects and Disease
Take a few minutes each week to walk through your landscape and look closely at your plants.
Watch for:
· Chewed or damaged leaves
· Yellowing or spotted foliage
· Powdery or unusual growth
· Wilting
· Webbing
· Insects on the underside of leaves
· Premature leaf drop
Finding a problem early is much easier than trying to correct a serious infestation or disease after it has spread.
6. Start Thinking About Your Fall Garden
It may seem strange to think about fall planting when August temperatures are still high, but now is a good time to start planning. It’s also a great time to think about planting perennial hibiscus as it tends to bloom late into the fall season.
Fall can be an excellent planting season in the Treasure Valley. Cooler temperatures can make establishing new plants easier, while the soil can remain warm enough to encourage root development.
Start deciding where you would like to add trees, shrubs, perennials, or other landscape plants this fall.
7. Consider Adding Trees to Your Landscape
If you’ve been thinking about adding a tree to your property, late summer is a great time to begin planning.
Consider the mature size of the tree, available sunlight, soil conditions, irrigation needs, and how close it will be to buildings, sidewalks, driveways, and utility lines.
Choosing the right tree for the right location can save you considerable work in the future.
40% Off Trees at Aloha Home and Garden
If you’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to add trees to your landscape, now is a great time to stop by Aloha Home and Garden.
Our conifer, shade, flowering, and fruit trees are currently 40% off retail, while supplies last.
Whether you’re looking for a beautiful shade tree, a flowering tree for seasonal color, a conifer for year-round interest, or a fruit tree for your backyard, our selection changes as plants sell.
Stop by Aloha Home and Garden and see what we currently have available.
Don’t Give Up on Your Garden in August
August gardening can take a little extra effort, but it is also a rewarding time of year. A little extra attention to watering, weeds, pests, diseases, and plant care can make a big difference in how your landscape finishes the summer.
And while you’re caring for the garden you already have, don’t forget to start planning for what you’d like to add this fall.
Aloha Home and Garden is here to help you make the most of your landscape—this summer, this fall, and throughout the year.
Happy gardening Treasure Valley
The staff at Aloha Home and Garden
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