In the Garden: August

Hello August, my favorite month of the year. I love your long warm days and sunny skies, and there’s no finer place to be than in the garden.

August is the month of abundance and immersion, of savoring all the garden has to offer. Snow peas seem to double in size overnight, the tomato plants are growing by leaps and bounds, and the cucumber vines are scrambling skyward. August is the month of quick and easy meals straight from the garden, eaten minutes after harvest.

The daylilies are fabulous this year. They are the star of the July garden, 61plants sporting hundreds of flowers from June into August and often beyond. I brought them from my California garden in 2020, and they don’t miss the desert heat.

In mid-July, the first dahlias burst into bloom, in all sizes, shapes and colors. I planted 170 dahlias this year – a crazy number, I know. From now until late October, the garden will be an everchanging display of dahlias, cosmos, zinnias, sunflowers and snapdragons, sharing space with the dependable long-season flowers that anchor the rest of the garden.

In the borders, you’ll find phlox and feverfew, geraniums and salvias, hydrangeas, echinacea and rudbeckia, coral bells (heuchera), yarrow, and veronica. Each plant belongs to a species and each species has a botanical/scientific name. Some species have dozens or hundreds of cultivars (varieties and/or colors), and each specific plant has one or more common names. I often can’t remember what a plant is called, but they grow beautifully, nonetheless.

In January, I created a spreadsheet to keep track of which plants are in bloom each month, for several purposes. A major reason is that I keep poor records of what I’ve planted over the years. Seasonal bulbs and many flowering perennials go dormant and disappear during the winter, so I forget which plants I’m growing.

Knowing the months in which specific plants bloom tells me when and how long each species and variety is available for enjoyment outdoors or for indoor bouquets and sharing with others. I was delighted to discover that more than 100 varieties of flowers bloomed in my garden during the first seven months of the year.

Having this information for an entire year reveals which months could use more plants – either more of the plants I’m already growing or the addition of new perennials or annuals – to fill in any empty spaces or gaps between seasons. A monthly list of what’s blooming lets me know how bloom times vary based on weather conditions. A quick review of the spreadsheet info will be a boon for both short- and long-term planning.

I talk about planning a lot, but my gardens are far from orderly and regimented. I favor blowsy mix-and-match cottage style gardening, not a formal landscape. I’m impulsive and experimental, always squeezing things in between what’s already there and hoping for the best. I let flowers, herbs and veggies drop their seeds and am usually thrilled to see things pop up wherever they’re happy to grow.

If I don’t like where a plant is growing, I move it, give it away, or toss it on the compost pile. If a plant is too large, I cut it back, move it, or divide it to make additional plants. Autumn and spring are the traditional months for moving plants, but many plants can be dug and replanted in the warm summer months. They’ll settle in faster if you cut back the flowers and foliage before digging and leave a large amount of soil around the roots to avoid transplant shock.

To keep your flowering plants looking their best and blooming as long as possible, remove fading flowers – called “deadheading” – frequently. I deadhead daily, usually first thing in the morning or in the early evening.

Watering should also be done in the cooler hours, slowly and deeply. It is rarely necessary to water in-ground plants more than twice a week. Shallow watering causes shallow root systems, while deep watering sends plant roots deep into the soil, where the water is stored. Add mulch and aged compost to improve your soil and prevent evaporation. Potted plants will need more frequent watering.

As summer bulbs die back, spaces open up in the border, exposing the soil. Last month, I started a few pots of seeds so I’d have fast growing plants on hand: marigolds, calendula, cosmos, zinnias, and basil. Last week, I bought a few marked-down annual plants in 6 packs and 4-inch pots for 99¢each. These are being tucked into the border to keep it cool and full.

Looking ahead, August is the month to order spring-blooming bulbs: daffodils, tulips, Dutch iris, anemones, and ranunculus, for planting between October and the end of the year. It’s also the perfect time to plant seeds for fall and winter vegetables.

Next month I’ll talk about plants for low-maintenance low-water gardens, and ways to get plants for free.

Happy gardening!