Shamrock Landscape Co is primarily a lawn mowing service but we get gardening related questions all the time, so we like to share them here on our blog. The question what or what not to do in the garden during August is just one we recently got asked, so here it goes:
There is an abundance of information out there about “things to do in the garden”, especially during spring and in the fall. Rarely do you see instructions on what “not do do” in the garden. Well, here are 3 garden “DON’Ts” this August.
1) Do Not fertilize your shrubs and trees
Any fertilizing now will promote soft new growth that could be damaged by winter frosts. As a general rule, it’s best to stop fertilizing shrubs in July.
2) Do Not prune your shrubs and trees
No matter how tempting it may be, now is not the time to prune. It’s true that some shrubs do well with fall pruning, but you still have a while to wait. All pruning should be done when the plants are dormant, so new growth isn’t encouraged.
3) Water correctly
It goes without saying that the hot days of summer call for more watering. However, what you may not realize is that frequent, light watering in the garden can do more harm than good. More frequent watering will promote weed growth. Instead, water deeply in the early mornings if more water is called for. This also applies to tomato plants. Also, annuals get very thirsty during the hot days of summer, so be sure to treat them to more deep watering as well. The same goes for new transplants.
There is one garden task that is rather fun for this time of the year… fall planning! Start dreaming about what changes you’ll make this autumn; which plants to move to a different location, which ones to divide, and propagate or what new plants to buy. Start looking at online nurseries and Pinterest for inspiration.
The general gardening chores are just one part of the equation though. Maintaining a healthy-looking lush lawn is equally important. And we can help with your weekly lawn mowing, trimming and edging chore. Just give us a call!
