Sweet summertime! There is nothing quite like the taste of ripe tomatoes, sweet corn, and peaches whose juice runs down your arm with every bite, not to mention more zucchini than you know what to do with. This is the month we finally reap the bounty of our hard labor. While nothing beats cooking a meal with backyard produce, sharing the surplus with family, friends and neighbors is even better.
However, the season isn't over yet. Keep your garden thriving and beautiful well into autumn with this essential August checklist:
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Sow Fall Crops: Plant cool-season lettuce, broccoli, kale, radishes, carrots, peas, and a second crop of bush beans.
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Refresh Blooms: Replace spent, tired annuals with vibrant chrysanthemums for instant fall color.
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Prune Berries: Clean up cane-fruiting plants, like raspberries, after their final harvest.
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Adjust Watering: Shift to deeper, less frequent watering to build resilient roots for our dry climate.
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Pest Patrol: Check daily for late-summer pests like tomato hornworms.
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Plan Ahead: Order spring-blooming bulbs and plant hardy perennials like coneflowers and irises so they can establish before the first freeze.
Gardening is more than a lifestyle—it’s a passion cultivated over 25 years in landscape design. I cherish every moment spent nurturing the earth, watching beauty unfold, and sharing nature’s bounty. From vibrant blooms to fresh harvests, my hope is to inspire you to step outside, breathe deeply, and grow with intention.
Let’s create something beautiful—together. Happy Gardening!