Take a stroll through your garden with a morning cup of coffee or tea.
- Collect ripened seeds of favorites and store for next year.
- Start planning for fall planting. Select plants that are resistant to common diseases and insect pests and choose an appropriate site for each one.
- Stake tall or top-heavy plants such as dahlias and lilies.
Pruning
- While cutting and deadheading roses, prune lightly to shape bushes and encourage fall bloom.
- Prune apricot, oleander and olive trees now to avoid future disease problems.
Fertilizing
- Apply a complete fertilizer to warm season lawns such as Bermuda and zoysia at the rate of 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet of lawn.
Planting
- Be patient. Planting season starts next month - anything planted in August is not likely to survive through September.
Enjoy now
- Annuals and perennials: yarrow (Achillea), floss flower (Ageratum), aster.
- Bulbs, corms, tubers: Autumn crocus.
- Trees, shrubs, vines: abelia, bluebeard (Caryopteris) smoke tree (Cotinus)
- Fruits and vegetables: apple, beans, bell peppers, nectarines, summer herbs.
Things to ponder
- If you do not use your lawn area, consider replacing it with a drought-tolerant planting area or vegetable garden.
- Potted plants benefit from mulch to reduce evaporation and suppress weeds.
Drought tip
- As summer begins to wind down, adjust irrigation timers to reflect fall's shorter days and cooler temperatures.