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The dog days of summer arrive in August. If it swelters like
its supposed to then, it will be some of the only truly hot
weather we have experienced this season. Our plants have liked
it just fine that way, too.
While rainfall has varied a lot around the state, the southeast
has been on the dry side. Drought slows plant growth in general.
It reduces flower bud formation on trees and shrubs. It limits
fruit development of vegetable crops like tomato, pepper,
cucumber and squash. Therefore, it is important to water plants
even though it has been cool.
Mulching flower and vegetable beds well early in the season
really helps your plants handle drought as well as heat. Use
several inches of straw or compost in vegetable gardens and
shredded bark or wood chips in flowerbeds. Keep all mulch away
from the bark of trees and shrubs.
From July 31st through August 10th, visit the Wisconsin State
Fair and the UW-Extension Master Gardeners in their “Model
Backyard” exhibit in the DNR area. They can help you find the
answers to your gardening questions.
If you need to find out where you can share the bounty of your
harvest with others in need, contact Second Harvest about the
Harvest for the Hungry program. Call 414-931-7400 and they will
help you find a location near your home to donate fresh produce.
Numbers in parenthesis after entries in this month's garden
calendar are for the UW-Extension’s InfoSource educational
message system. In the Milwaukee area call InfoSource at
414-290-2450 and follow directions to hear a recorded message.
In other parts of the state, contact your county UW-Extension
office for the local InfoSource number to use.
Donate your excess harvest to help the hungry in your community through the "Harvest for the Hungry" program. Produce can be taken to one of the sixteen local garden centers and nurseries that are serving as official drop-off sites. Or call Second Harvest Food Bank of Wisconsin for the location of a food pantry or meal serving agency near your home. In the Milwaukee area call 414-931-7400 or outside of Milwaukee call 1-800-236-1208. “Harvest for the Hungry” is sponsored in southeastern Wisconsin by TODAY’S TMJ4 and Milorganite, with support from the Second Harvest Food Bank of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin-Extension, the SouthEast Wisconsin Master Gardeners, Inc. and local garden centers.
Bluemel's Floral & Garden Center
Greenfield 414-282-4220
Flower Source Greenhouse & G.C.
Germantown 262-251-7673
Hawks Nursery
Wauwatosa 414-258-5525
Lied's Nursery Co., Inc.
Sussex 262-246-6901
Luxembourg Gardens
Franklin 414-425-5696
Mega Discount Nursery
Oak Creek 414-571-6565
Milaeger's, Inc.
2 locations in Racine
262-639-2040 262-886-2117
Minor's Garden Center
Milwaukee 414-354-4886
Nature's Nook
New Berlin 262-786-3700
Franklin 414-761-8300
Prospect Hill Gardens
New Berlin 262-679-2207
Shady Lane Greenhouses
Menomonee Falls 262-251-1660
Town 'n Country Garden Cntr.
Racine 262-639-2373
Yerke Greenhouse & Garden Center
Mukwonago 262-363-8911
Caan Floral & Greenhouses
Sheboygan 920-452-1525
The last date to sow sweet corn for the year is August 1st.
For late crops of beets, bush beans, carrots, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, kohlrabi, and onion sets, continue sowing seeds until August 15th. Peas and collards can be seeded again now, too.
Transplants can still be planted of broccoli, early cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale and onions. Exclude imported cabbage worms from late plantings of these cole crops by covering them with floating row cover. Be sure to seal the edges thoroughly with soil.
Aphids can continue to show up all season long. Dislodge with a strong blast of water or use insecticidal soap (not dishsoap) when first noticed.
Continue controlling stripped and spotted cucumber beetles which spread bacterial wilt to
cucumbers, squashes, melons, and gourds. Weekly dusts or sprays of rotenone, carbaryl
(Sevin), or permethrin (Eight) are effective but only if insects are present. Apply late in the day after flowers close and bees are not
present. Remove infected, wilted plants immediately.
Colorado potato beetle adults are back for a second generation. Since
these distinctive, globular, yellow and black striped insects are so
easily seen they can either be removed by hand or sprayed. A specific
strain of B.t. called M-trak is effective against these beetles while
they are still young. The insecticide carbaryl (Sevin) can also be used.
After the last raspberry harvest for the year, prepare for next year
while also avoiding diseases by pruning out old flowering canes leaving
only 3-4 young canes per foot of row. Wait until spring to prune back
shoot tips.
Watch for the appearance of fall webworm webs on limbs of trees and
shrubs. Cut out the tents or spray while the larvae inside are still
young using the biological insecticide B.t. (Bacillus thuringiensis)
sold as Dipel, Thuricide, or Bactur. Once the larvae are over 1 inch
long control is not effective or necessary.
Avoid pruning trees and shrubs since doing so this late in the season
can stimulate new growth that will not harden off in time for the cold
winter weather ahead. Delay pruning until the end of the dormant season
early next spring. Late in the season when trees and shrubs are going
dormant, wounds heal very slowly. Tender wound tissue can also be killed
by freezing temperatures.
Harvest vegetables such as tomatoes and melons regularly and frequently
to avoid overripe fruit being present to attract picnic beetles.
Harvest onions and garlic as the tops dry and fall over. Braid garlic
tops and hang in a cool, dry place. Cut onion tops back to 1" and dry
thoroughly before storing. Use any damaged produce immediately.
Fall bearing raspberries will begin ripening. Pick fruit as
soon as ripe since overripe fruit attracts picnic beetles which
will seriously damage fruit.
Make the second application of fertilizer on new plantings of
June bearing strawberries. Apply 3 lbs. of 10-10-10 per 100 feet
of row.
This is a good time to order and plant spring flowering bulbs
for next year's early flower display. Plan for different
flowering times to extend the season. As with most flowers, they
are best displayed in masses of all one type and color rather
than in mixtures which can be busy and garish.
From now until September 20th is the ideal time to seed or sod new lawns
or to repair diseased or damaged areas of your yard. Prepare areas with
an application of the herbicide glyphosate 10 days before seeding or
sodding. Rototill the area to a depth of 6-8". Work in extra organic
matter and fertilizer. Level and rake smooth. Rake seeded areas lightly
to bury seed about 1/8 inch. Tamp to assure good seed to soil contact.
Cover newly seeded areas with a very light layer of straw to help retain
moisture. Do not allow to dry out until all grass has emerged - about 15
days. Mow as soon as the new grass is 3 - 31/2 inches tall.
Seeds can again be sown for a late crop of leaf lettuce, mustard greens,
Swiss chard and spinach.
If you haven't already done so, divide irises now before their second
flush of root growth which will occur during fall's cool, moist weather.
Examine rhizomes for borer tunnels and soft rot. Destroy all infected
plants. Replant by barely covering the small sections of rhizome each
with a fan of leaves and some roots. Cut leaves back by 2/3's.
If you want flowering plants indoors this winter of fuschia, wax begonia, impatiens, geraniums, and coleus, root cuttings now in vermiculite or perlite. Use rooting hormone powder on cut stem ends. Keep flats or pots in a calm, shady spot outdoors until mid-September.
In the flower garden, continue deadheading which will allow plants to
use energy reserves for a final flower display. Remove all leaf litter
and spent plants to prevent the spread of disease.
Prepare for a Labor Day fertilizer application to the lawn unless you
will be doing a weed n' feed treatment later in September. Mid-September
is the only time of year when weed and feed products are actually timed
right for both the weed control and the fertilization. If you do three
applications of fertilizer per year, they should be at Halloween,
Memorial Day and Labor Day. Use a slow release product for the late
season application.
Late season problems on deciduous plants should be of lesser concern than those that appeared earlier in the season since leaves will soon change color and drop anyway. Diseased leaves should be removed promptly to minimize pest problems next year.
