Late August Garden Tips

The Summer is winding down? Really? Is it fair to say that when the temps this week have been in the mid-80s? But my garden is getting tired: the flower stems are long and leggy, the corn is being harvested daily, and even the lawn looks a bit scruffy (I like to fertilize in the early Fall).

So it's time to evaluate and appreciate this year's garden and do what's necessary to get "us" happily into the Fall.

First, deadhead all those zinnias, petunias, geraniums, Shasta daisies - they'll give one last bloom before the frost if the old blooms are snipped off. A light feeding (more phosporus than nitrogen - a fertilizer with  larger middle number than the other two) will keep the flowers happy.

Second, DON'T feed the tomatoes! Your plan should be to get all those lovely green tomatoes already on the plant to finish growing and start ripening.  Fertilizing now will encourage the plant to start new tomatoes and they'll never reach ripening stage before the frosts. You want the plant to put all its energy into ripening, not growing new stems or fruit.

Third, remember to nip the flowering tips off the herbs to keep them going. I've been trimming stems on my basil back to the lowest branch - see the red line in the picture? Trimming it back 

trim basil ever other week

causes the side shoots to grow into full stems and make the plant bushier - with more leaves. If you take the basil (or other herb) inside for the winter, continue to pinch off new stems until the plant is exhausted. I keep a Basil and a Rosemary plant in my living room all winter - careful pruning/pinching of the Rosemary gives me a tiny Christmas tree in December.

Fourth, get some deep watering around your trees. Once the ground freezes, you'll have to wait for a good thaw in January or February to water again, so don't let the trees start the winter dehydrated. It's a fallacy to think that a dormant tree doesn't need any water - if we get a good snowfall or three, they'll be quite happy but in the last few years we haven't been able to count on much winter precipitation. Treat them right and give them a good soak now.

Excuse me, it that YOUR homegrown mint?

Fifth, pull up a chair and appreciate all your hard work! It'll be gone soon (tradititonally, our first hard frosts are in early September) and everything will be back to that winter brown and gray.  Put your feet up, have a little snack and enjoy the beauty you created. We'll talk again soon about Fall chores but for now, pat yourself on the back - it looks great out there!