Rocky Mountain Gardener's August Checklist

Rocky Mountain Gardener's August Checklist

The “dog days of August” sound like they should be slow and lazy — yet they are generally anything but. There are holidays to take, festivals to attend and kids to ready for college. There’s also a lot to do at the backyard: It is time to get a little TLC for your trees and dirt, grass wrangling and produce planting. August is also a excellent month to critique your garden’s design and plan for future improvements.

Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Deep-root water trees. Many areas of the Rocky Mountain West have experienced an unusually hot and dry summer. Drought may take its toll on trees, even the ones that are well established. Trees are the most precious asset within our landscapes, so it is worth it to baby them a little bit.

Give them a good soak by utilizing a bubbler or other low-pressure sprinkler attachment at the end of a hose. Apply water at a very low rate to permit for comprehensive water absorption into a depth of approximately 12 inches. Cover the whole root zone, which might extend three to five times the height of the tree. Continue this practice monthly through fall and winter (when snow cover is lacking and the temperature is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or longer).

Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Maintain with weed control. Sadly, weeds do not take a vacation. They continue to rise, stealing nutrients and water from your chosen plants. Below are a few hints to get nonchemical weed suppression. Chemical herbicides, when required, are best employed in a different month or 2.

Spread compost. Compost is nature’s perfect soil change. It loosens clay soils allowing greater water and air penetration, and when added to sandy or gravelly soils, compost forms organic aggregates that retain nutrients and water. Use compost as a top dressing around vegetables, flowers, shrubs and trees, working it into the soil lightly.

A summer application of compost will help the soil retain moisture and also stimulate the growth of beneficial microorganisms. You can use your own compost or buy Class I compost (that may be used any time of year in any type of soil) by a trusted supplier.

Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Plant fall plants. Craving some lately grown veggies this fall? August is the time to seed cool-season veggies. Beets, carrots, lettuce, peas, turnips, spinach, etc. can be sown directly into warm summer ground.

To select the best time to plant, then refer to the “days to maturity” information on the back of the seed packet, and count backward in the place’s average first frost date. By way of example, if you reside in Colorado Springs, Colorado, your average first freeze date is October 10. Radishes and lettuces need only two to four weeks (normally) from seeding to harvest and could be sown successfully until mid-September.

Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Beets, nevertheless, need 50 to 60 days to reach adulthood, therefore should be planted no later than August 20. Have fun planting a new veggie variety this season, and try a new recipe sometime soon!

Assess your landscape and plan ahead. The high heat of August is not the time to split or transfer plants, but it is a fantastic time for planning ahead to get an active September and beyond. Study your garden using a critical eye as you want your shopping and work listings for the warmer times to come:
Are there plants that are past their prime and should be replaced?Are there viewpoints that have to be screened or regions that need shade?Have perennials ceased blooming due to a lot of colour or crowding?Does this backyard actually sing, or is it lacking that special “something”?

Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Simply take a few digital photos and convert them into black and white. The absence of colour will allow you to home in on the forms and textures of the plant compositions. Ask yourself:
Is there enough contrast, or does everything “mush” together?Is there enough repetition to take the eye, or is it a jumpy jumble?In such example in my garden, I can see that the fine-textured plants are a bit dull; I need to introduce a few daring foliage for contrast. A Yucca or cold-hardy Agave would operate well within this dry, sunny location.

More:
Guides to gardening at the Rocky Mountains

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