What to do in August – The 30 most important things to do in the garden, vegetable garden and flower bed
After the julipause comes the hot season. Most of the time is spent harvesting crops. Watering, feeding plants, and weed control are also in progress.
It doesn’t take long before August arrives with the fragrant blooms of lilies and the scent of ripe apples. Honey, apple and walnut feasts are waiting for you, schoolchildren are preparing for the new school year… And on the dacha site vegetables and fruits, raspberries and currants, aphids and snails continue to ripen and demand nutrition Don’t lose your appetite. So roll up your sleeves and get to work! A short to-do list will help you navigate.
Top 10 things you can do in the garden in August
1. Pick fruits and berries. Early varieties of apples, pears, cherry plums, sea buckthorn and late cherries ripen in August. Eberesh and apple trees, currants, and gooseberries complete fruit formation. Do not let apples and pears overripe; remove 3-5 days before ripening. At the same time, try not to spoil the skins so that the fruit will last longer. Burn the CAC so that the apple moth does not multiply. To cut cherry plums of varieties such as Lamu, spend the shoots first.
Strengthen branches studded with fruit and berries with stanchions so that the trees and shrubs stand better by the end of the season. You can use wooden slings, long hollowed-out boards, or other handy materials. Eat the harvest fresh or make delicious morsels. We recommend interesting recipes for making apples, pears, currants and sand dorn for the winter!
2. Check the rosettes and buds of the trees. Going forward, monitor the grafting and eyeballing of grafts that were made in July. Successful grafts should be removed immediately so that the tree is not wasted. By mid-month, complete the hatching of apple trees, pear trees, and rootstocks.
3. Propagation with bush cuttings. If last month you prepared a greenhouse with cuttings of currants and gooseberries, then in late August – September they can be planted in a permanent place. Be sure to add humus or decompost (1 bucket) to the planting hole and remove weeds. Plant the cuttings at an angle, cut off the tops to make it easier for the roots to nourish the above-ground part. Moisten the soil thoroughly and keep it watered for a month.
Cut back the raspberries and plant the seedlings. Remove the shoots and any fruit stems. Toward the end of August, you can start planting seedlings – at this time they are well rooted. The main thing is to choose a place for you with fertile soil and moderate light. Planting berries in addition to cherries and black currants is not recommended because. The plants compete for nutrients.
5. Feel free to plant garden berries (strawberries). Participate in the propagation of bushes, so that young plants have time to root and form a green mass covering the rhizome. This will help strawberries better withstand the first frosts and survive the winter. Also support mature plants by loosening the soil and applying 1 teaspoon under each bush. Fertilize every complex fall fertilizer. Remove excess whiskers so as not to weaken the plant.
If you still do not know how to care for strawberries after fruiting, it is better to study our tips and secrets!
6. Clean up the currant and gooseberry bushes. After picking berries from the bushes, cut off any diseased shoots, cover with soil, and remove weeds. Check plants for pests and if necessary, apply a 1% solution of Bordeaux liquid or a folk remedy. Feed the plants with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer (30-40 g of superphosphate and 15-20 g of potassium sulfate per 1 adult bush).
We will tell you how to take care of currants after the harvest to have a lot of berries next year!
7. Water the trees and bushes. Water the trees gradually, but don’t stop it completely if the weather is hot and dry. Berry shrubs need moisture because they are forming flower buds ready for next year’s harvest. Water them with warm water at the rate of:
- red currants-1-2 buckets per bush;
- black currants-3-4 buckets;
- gooseberries-4-6 buckets;
- raspberries-5-6 buckets per 1 sq.m.
8. Carry out sanitary pruning of trees. After harvesting, check trees for pests. Also cut out vertical shoots that thicken the crown and do not allow the fruit to ripen well. In young plums and cherries, remove the upright shoots and lean some of them horizontally, tying them to strong branches. This will improve fruiting in the future.
An experienced expert tells why summer tree pruning is necessary and how to do it correctly.
9. Take your time with the grapes. Pick early varieties of grapes and carefully prune the bunches with a sharp pruner or scissors. Take care not to damage the waxy coating so that the grapes can be preserved better. Remove the rotten parts straight away. Medium and late varieties are fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer (according to the instructions). In short, the tops of the vines at 20-25 cm. This process is called pruning. They can accelerate the ripening of the grapes. Cut off excess leaves so that the bunches get more sunlight.
10. Prepare pits for fall plants – seedlings. It’s time to prepare the planting pits so that the soil is compacted and its structure improves in the fall. Choose a place for planting, taking into account the needs of the garden crop. The size of the pit should match the size of the seedling’s roots.
Be sure to put drainage (expanded clay, broken bricks, gravel, stones) on the bottom, add at least 2 buckets of compost or humus, and add mineral fertilizers (superphosphate, potassium chloride, etc.). Acidic rootstock. Backfill the hole with the nutrient mix and soil, and then drive tree stakes into it. Soon the hole will be ready for planting seedlings in the fall!
The 10 most important things to do in the garden in August
1. Continue picking vegetables and herbs. Choose a dry day for harvesting. Immediately cull all rotten and damaged fruits. Harvest cucumbers and tomatoes every 2-3 days, avoiding overharvesting. Bag mid-early potatoes and dry well in the sun. Some of the crop can be saved and the rest can be used immediately for preserves. Put vegetable scraps into compost.
2. Plant early vegetables and herbs. More and more beds are empty. Plant parsley, dill, lettuce, radishes, or cold-resistant beets in them. In the greenhouse you can sow radishes, onions, peas, broccoli, early varieties of cucumbers and low-growing tomatoes. Keep the rules of crop rotation in mind as you work.
Have Summer Dachas been sowing and growing crops since early August? Not at all, it’s just beginning!
3. control diseases and pests. Tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplants suffer from phytophthora in August, so ventilate the greenhouse regularly and spit the potatoes up. Try to beat the disease with folk remedies so you don’t have to use chemicals at harvest time.
Spray cucumbers for bacteriosis, peronosporosis or anthracnose with phytosporin because. Preparations with copper are dangerous to use now. To keep the greens from getting bitter, don’t forget about proper watering and pest protection.
4. stepgrass tomatoes. Remove not only the side shoots, but also the inflorescences, as you will not be able to harvest. To speed up the ripening of fruits, feed the bushes with an infusion prepared from bird droppings. To prepare 0.5 kg of dry droppings pour 10 liters of water, cover with foil and let rest for 3-5 days. The resulting infusion dilute with water at a ratio of 1:20 and pour 1 liter of fertilizer under each plant.
5. Feed cucumbers. Cucumber should also be fed. Well-proven recipes with breadcrumbs, ash and yeast. There is little time until the end of fruit formation, but it can be extended. Remove old and damaged leaves regularly to keep diseases from spreading.
Fruiting in cucumbers is in full swing, and you’re wondering how to extend it? Then you need to know the best ways to care for your cucumbers this summer.
6. Adjust your watering. The last month of summer can sometimes be quite hot, so don’t forget to water your garden fruits. Pay special attention to eggplants, water them every 5-7 days, 3 liters per plant. Colas actively form heads, so water the plants regularly at the rate of 2-3 buckets of water per 1m².
Do not moisten the root crops, otherwise the taste of the beets deteriorates and the carrots tear. In the first half of the month, stop watering onions and garlic so they have time to tire. Don’t grab a watering can even in very dry weather – save your crops!
7. Prepare the onions and garlic for digging out. You’ve already stopped watering, now it’s worth speeding up the ripening of the plants. You can tie the garlic cloves in a knot so the plant can concentrate on forming heads. Onions can be gently lifted with a fork, which damages the roots. This gets nutrients into the onion from the leaves. In the second half of August, when the feathers turn yellow, onions and garlic are ready for harvesting.
It’s still a long way to fall and onion and garlic leaves are already suspicious? Figure out the causes and solve the problem.
8. Feed your fruit-bearing plants. In addition to cucumbers and tomatoes, you should also feed eggplants and peppers. Prepare a nourishing herbal tea. Chop nettles, canes and other herbs, fill a bucket by a third, lightly squeezing. Add 100 grams of yeast and fill with warm water. Allow the mixture to infuse for two days, and then dilute 1 liter of ready infusion in 10 liters of water and pour it over the beds.
9. thin out the crushed fruits. In the first half of August, thin out beets and carrots to increase the harvest. Leave 6-8 cm between plants for beets and 4-5 cm for carrots. Pull out large root crops that can be eaten immediately, as well as those that are damaged. Do not leave the tops on the beds, otherwise the carrot and beet flies will fly to them.
10. Think about what to plant in the empty beds next year. It’s time to decide on cabbage, cucumbers, and winter garlic plants. And to keep the soil empty now, use the tips from item 2 on the vegetable garden to-do list or run hydrates around the beds to improve soil disease.
The 10 most important things to do in the flower garden in August
1. Divide and transplant perennials. In early August, divide and transplant phloxes, asters, delphiniums, lilies, lily of the valley, lily of the valley, and primroses. Select only strong sections with healthy buds and cut off the wounds with a planter. Sprinkle the damaged areas so that they do not rot, or disinfect in a weak solution of potassium dressing.
2. Take care of peony propagation. August is the perfect time to divide and plant peonies. Properly performed, the procedure will ensure a lush flowering bush in the future!
In late summer, the care of the peony in the garden changes somewhat. It’s time to rejuvenate the bushes so that they bloom even more abundantly in the future.
3. Preparing roses for winter. It’s time to do some sanitary pruning of roses: remove all withered flowers, leaves and stems, as well as young shoots in the middle of the bush to avoid overgrowth. Weed the floor and inspect the plant for diseases. If you find PUDRIG TAU, spray the rose with a 1% soda solution or phytosporin m. Eliminate feeding.
4. Feeding Clematis. Now the plant is in particular need of phosphorus and potassium. Therefore, in September, feed the vines with potassium sulfate (25-30 g per 10 liters of water) and apply 0.5 tablespoons under each bush. Superphosphate and potassium sulphate. Lush flowering of clematis provides boric acid, 2 g of which should be diluted in a glass of hot water, and then diluted in 10 liters of water. Filter the water once.
Learn how you can really take care of clematis so that it blooms healthily and luxuriantly until the end of the season!
5. Divide and transplant the bearded ones. If you didn’t do it in July, it’s not too late to do the procedure in August. The main thing is to dry out before the middle of the month so that the plants have time to root. If you break the rhizome of the iris with your hands, then dry to dry and cover with charcoal. Cut the leaves and roots to a length of 10-15 cm. Wrap the roots in a damp cloth and put the sections in a dry room for a week. Then plant the plants in a well-lit place to a depth of 5 to 7 cm.
6. Cut cuttings from evergreens and needle plants. At the end of the month it is time to cut cuttings of thuas, cypresses, ATEs and junipers. Cut cut cuttings from well-developed, grown stems this year. Prepare a greenhouse for the roots. Use a mixture of peat and sand (1: 1) as the bottom. You can also graft plants that are difficult to root.
7. Collect seeds of annuals. Try collecting seeds of marigold, nasturtium, carnation, allspice, and matthiola. This way you will save the contents of your wallet and at the same time have a new and interesting experience. Just don’t forget to dry the seeds thoroughly, sort them into bags and shields.
8. Feeding Gladiolus and Dahlias. Phosphorous-potassium fertilizers (15 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water) help to achieve a lush flowering of these flowers. Gladiolus and dahlias like a break – top dressing and do not tolerate fresh manure. In late August, dahlias should also be brought out to a height of 25 cm to protect the root neck from the first frosts.
What to do with dahlias that refuse to bloom and stop inspiring bright colors? You will find the answers in the article.
9. Start planting onions. Plant colchicum, crocuses, gazellehone, muskrats, pushkins and other fall-flowering plants. It’s time to plant seedlings of biennials: Malva, stepmother, and Turkish carnations. Also take care of planting and sowing of bluebell, forget-me-not and other flowers.
10. Create a new lawn. Don’t hesitate to plant lawn grass. The warm August weather will help you get up quickly. The lawn is transforming! Fertilise after the rain with superphosphate (40-60 g to 1 m²) and potassium sulphate (25-30 g to 1 m²).
A lawn is not just a loose meadow of grass – it’s a complex mini ecosystem that needs fertilising.
Also start tidying up your lawn. Take out the trash, clean the greenhouses, and keep an eye on the appearance of the equipment.
The weather in Russia allows you to enjoy the last of the summer warmth. So, after repeating some of the tasks on the list, lie down in a hammock and relax to the gentle sound of the trees. And don’t forget to pay attention to your health, because work in the country never stops. Have a great August!
The garden: Seasonal work in August
August in the garden is all about harvesting and fertilizing. Don’t miss Apple Salvation on August 19, a holiday of needlework that is common to all. And on Walnut Day – August 29 – have a farewell to summer and a friendly end to the gardening season.
List of works in August
- Application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers under all crown fruit crops
- Preventive treatment of trees and shrubs from fungal diseases (true mold, stain, scab) and pests: removal of sick, withered branches, removing overgrowth
- Collection and destruction of AAS
- Loosening the soil in the stumpage circle, between the rows, installation of supports under the branches of fruit trees
- Harvesting of fruit crops: apples, plums, pears, blueberries, gooseberries, currants
Autumn belt on apple trees
- Regular inspection of trap belts on trees
- Installing traps for wasps and hornets in the crowns of fruit trees and vineyards
- Pruning raspberries: removing fruit branches, pruning the tops of annual shoots
- Pruning shrubs and conifers with single cuttings (with paragraph)
- Rooted cuttings of currants, gooseberries and other shrubs are planted
Harvesting in August
Pear fruits should be harvested immature – they ripen in a warm room for about a week.
Apple moth is the scourge of the harvest. The pest stays in one fruit for 3-4 weeks and then moves on to the next. Caterpillars overwinter in cob cocoons in bark cracks and in plant debris. Therefore, it is necessary to collect AAS and destroy them, carry out hygienic pruning, attach trapping tapes to the trunk and conduct extermination spraying in autumn.
Prophylactic treatments with insecticides or biologicals (FITOVERM) are done in spring and late summer after harvest.
August Hartdressing.
All fruit bushes should be fertilized no later than the first decade of August in order to establish flower buds. To do this, dilute 2 tablespoons in 10 liters of water. A spoonful of nitrophoska and a glass of wood ash. Introduce 1 liter per bush.
Fruiting trees should be fertilized after harvesting so that the trees are well prepared for winter:
- 1.5 cups of superphosphate and 1 cup of potassium sulfate for apple and pear trees, scatter them over the area of the circle near the stem and water;
- For plum, you need to dilute 2 tbsp. Spoonfuls of potassium sulfate and 3 tablespoons. Spoons of superphosphate per 10 liters of water. The rate of consumption is 4 buckets per tree.
Preparation for autumn planting
For new plantings, it is necessary to prepare the sites in advance: dig the soil from the ballpark, add compost or humus, so that the hole filled with fertile soil can survive and settle.
Preparing the planting hole.
Fill the pit with a mixture: 2 parts of cultivated garden soil, 1 part decomposed manure, 1 part peat, 200 g of superphosphate, 300 g of ash. On sandy soil, it is useful to add 1-2 buckets of clay to this mixture.
Then the hole should be filled to the top with garden soil. If it is heavy, add 1-2 buckets of sand. For each part of sand there should be at least 5 parts of earth (better 6-7). Fill the hole, cut the bottom in layers.
Winter hardiness of currants and gooseberries
To improve the winter hardiness of currants and gooseberries, after harvesting the shoots are shortened by 1/3 of the length with one-year growth. Old (4-5-year-old) branches of black currants are also cut out – the berries are small on them, and the growth of young shoots is weak. This method improves the growth of one-year basal shoots – the basis of the future harvest.
Bushes should be treated against powdery mildew, so that the fungus spores do not overwinter in the trunk and on the branches.
