This week in the garden: August 15 - 21

Soak in the peace and quiet as late summer is winding down and days should cool soon.

Tasks

• Use old vegetable plants and summer annuals to start a compost pile. Add fall leaves as they drop from trees.
• Do not wait for a potted plant to droop before watering it, since roots will be damaged by the time a plant shows stress.
• Harvest vegetables to prevent them from setting seed.
• Renew mulch.

Pruning

• Support any heavily laden branches of fruit and nut trees.
• Cut back annuals and perennials to encourage growth and rebloom.

Fertilizing

• Feed vegetables at only ¼ the recommended rate to avoid a flush of tender young growth.
• Fertilize chrysanthemums, asters and other fall blooming perennials for the last time.

Planting

• Wait until next month to plant, if possible.
• A few winter vegetables may be planted by seed this month. Consult the MG Vegetable Planting Guide for San Joaquin Valley Gardens.

Enjoy now

• Annuals and perennials: Begonia semperflorens, vinca (Catharanthus), coreopsis, cosmos, dianthus.
• Bulbs, corms, tubers: dahlia, naked ladies (Amaryllis).
• Trees, shrubs, vines: lantana, crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia).
• Fruits and vegetables: corn, eggplant, grapes, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes.

Things to ponder

• Many landscapes have a few bare spots by now. Consider replacing missing plants with California natives.
• While daytime temperatures remain in the 90s or 100s, drought-stressed foliage can be damaged by applications of horticultural oils or pesticides.