MONTHLY GARDENING TIPS
Here’s what to do, what’s in bloom, and lots of tips and tricks for each month of the year! Check back each month to find new, seasonal tips for ornamental gardening, lawn care, edible gardening, and indoor plant care in the Pacific Northwest!
August Tips for PNW Gardeners
Flowering border designed and photographed by Bill Noble
In the Garden
Keep up a regular watering schedule in August and September. Learn more about the Best Watering Practices for your PNW Garden.
Looking for summer flowers? Take a look at these blogs: 9 Flowers Blooming Right Now and Shrubs with Beautiful Summer Flowers & Foliage.
Keep removing spent blossoms from flowering plants to encourage new flowers. Pinching back leggy stems will also encourage bushiness.
Summer is a good time to do some light pruning to keep your plants looking healthy and neat. See our Summer Pruning Tips.
Late summer and early fall are good times to dig and divide daylilies and iris. Remove clumps and brush or rinse off dirt, so you can see where to divide, then replant. This can be done every 4-5 years or as needed.
Edible Gardening
Plant veggies now for fall harvest and to overwinter for earlier spring harvests. See what and when to plant in our blog post, Planting a Fall Vegetable Garden.
Shady Conditions? You can still have a vegetable garden! Learn more about Shade-Tolerant Vegetables and Herbs.
Be sure you are harvesting your fruits and veggies regularly! Summer edibles will produce more if picked at least 2-3 times per week.
Most leafy greens taste bitter after they have bolted (put up a flower stalk with flowers) but you can leave the flowers for pollinators to enjoy and even save the seeds for future planting.
Battling powdery mildew? It's very common here in the PNW, but you can control it. Learn more Controlling Powdery Mildew.
Lawn Care
In summer, lawns need approximately 1" of irrigation per week to stay green and healthy! Even if you let your lawn go dormant, water about once a month to keep it from dying back completely.
When mowing, remember that the height of the grass generally equals the depth of the roots, so keeping grass a little longer helps build a strong support system. Set your mower to medium height to avoid cutting off more than 30% at a time.
Begin planning for lawn rejuvenation (best done in September) by surveying spots that aren’t growing well. Steep slopes and excessively shady spots may benefit from lawn removal and replacement with a more suitable groundcover.
See our Lawn Calendar below for more monthly tips to keep your lawn lush and healthy.
Indoor plants
Indoor plants have positive benefits on our health and mood. Learn more about the Top 7 Health Benefits of Houseplants.
Houseplants are growing actively right now. Fertilize them regularly and be sure to follow the directions on the product label for best results.
Staying home this summer? You can still enjoy a “tropical staycation” if you chose the right houseplants!
If any of your plants need repotting, do this before fall when plant growth begins to slow down. Read our step-by-step guide: How to Repot a Plant.
Ready to become a plant parent? We can help! Learn how to Choose Your Next Houseplant and click the button below to visit the indoor plant section of our blog, filled with helpful articles and how-to’s.