Things to do in your garden this month.
Taken from the Ontario Master Gardener Calendar
by John Hethrington
Past President, Master Gardeners of Ontario.
Please contact John for more information!
August 2022 Garden Tips:
- It has been maybe the driest June on record. You need to water often and more importantly water deeply and slowly so it works into the soil.
- Top up your much. Keep it at least 2 inches deep. It works to suppress weeds, keeps the soil cool and damp and retains the rain we get.
- Sow vegetable seeds again for a fall harvest e.g. spinach and some varieties of lettuce.
- Tidy up plants and shrubs with a little judicious pruning, but early in the month.
- Stake tall perennials against the wind.
- Cut your grass at least 2’’ high to combat drying out. Water well when needed, or when it is allowed.
- Check out bulb catalogues and order before they are all sold out from BBC, try (www.botanus.com) for lots of unique varieties.
- Order spring flowering bulbs now for planting in October.
- Fill in any gaps in your flower garden with fall-flowering perennials, like mums and asters.
- Start drying flowers and herbs. Pick your lavender now for drying.
- Start to divide daylilies, iris and peonies later in the month.
- Collect seeds that have matured but not yet fallen from the seed head. Plants like poppies. Once they have completely dried, store them in air tight containers in a cool location or sprinkle them around your garden for colour next summer.
- Take a hard look at your garden and decide where there are empty spaces for new plants this fall. Identify any plants that have not performed well and plan to replace them with a fall planting program of shrubs and perennials.
- Early Fall is a great time to sow grass seed and plant perennials, trees and shrubs. You’ll get a big jump on next Spring!
- Look for the Grey County Master Gardener fall plant sale in the morning on September 10 on the grass at Heritage Plaza in Owen Sound with lots of unique and unusual plants for sale.
John Hethrington, Past President, Master Gardeners of Ontario
Beaver Valley Probus Club