In the Garden - August

Summer in the garden is a joy, with long sunny days and warm gentle breezes. Mornings find me wandering through the yard with my coffee mug in one hand and clippers in the other, checking out what’s new, what’s ripe and ready to pick, and what the slugs have been up to while I was sleeping. I cherish this quiet time in the garden, listening to bird song, watching the hummers zip from flower to flower, nibbling a fresh snap pea, and perhaps snipping a bit of thyme or dill for an omelet.

This year, our backyard veggie garden is a haven for pollinators. Lettuce and radishes, arugula and cilantro and other early summer veggies have all gone to seed, sending up tall, flowered stems that shade the soil and provide food and shelter for pollinators and birds. Calendula, poppies, and sweet alyssum have spilled out of the beds and into the pathways. All are delightful and welcome.

We picked our first cherry tomatoes in late July, and there are salad and slicer tomatoes growing bigger by the day. We have 29 tomato plants this year, including 11 that I transplanted on July 20.  I prefer dwarf tomato varieties: shorter and stockier than traditional tall indeterminate varieties, dwarfs mature in 50 to 75 days. Dwarf tomatoes produce full-sized fruit until killed by frost. Based on my experience the past two years, these new transplants will provide plenty of tomatoes in September and October.

On my front and back decks, there is always a basket close at hand, and a bucket and jelly jars filled with cool water for freshly cut flowers. There are daily bouquets of snapdragons, salvias, scabiosa, roses, hydrangeas and leafy herbs. Daylilies and clematis are in their prime, rudbeckia and coneflowers sway in the breeze. The dahlias are coming into bloom, and will soon be joined by cosmos, zinnias, and jewel-toned asters. A month from now, there will be an abundance of sunflowers for late summer and autumn bouquets.

A garden does not have to be large, and it does not have to be planted in the ground. Vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers can all be grown in plots, planters and hanging baskets, indoors or out. The joys and benefits of gardening are available to everyone.

I’ve had a lot of questions recently about watering during a heat wave, specifically about whether to water more often while the temps are running high. If we’re hot and thirsty, we think our plants are, too. People understandably worry when they see plants drooping or wilting. Not all wilting is caused by lack of water; too much water can also cause plants to wilt and/or turn yellow. Plants can also wilt as a reaction to heat or too much sun; providing shade with an umbrella or light row cover may be all that’s needed. Potted plants should be moved away from structures that reflect heat and can be moved to a cooler shady area.

Instead of watering more often, focus on watering more deeply each time you water. This helps develop deeper roots and more resilient plants. Decrease evaporation by keeping soil covered with mulch or shaded by companion plants: fast-growing marigolds, alyssum and radishes are great, and help deter insect pests. Pause the use of fertilizers containing fish or manure during heat waves, as they contain salts that can cause foliage and roots to burn. Compost is an excellent slow-release fertilizer and ground cover that improves all types of soils.

Now that August is upon us, what should we be doing in and for our gardens as we look ahead and – dare I say it – begin to plan for next year? Here’s what comes to mind.

Look at what’s currently growing and assess the health of your plants. Is there anything that is showing signs of disease or pest infestation? Are you growing vegetables or fruits that no one likes, or that are producing too much for your own use? Are there plants that are past their prime and are taking up space you could use for something else for the rest of the season?

If you have any of these issues, it’s time to act. Extra produce can be given to neighbors or donated to the food bank. Unhealthy and/or unwanted plants can be removed and replaced by more desirable plants. Empty spaces and pots can be filled with nursery-grown starts of hardy veggies for fall harvest. You can also plant veggie seeds that need 60 days or less to mature: lettuce and other leafy greens, bush squash and bush cucumbers, green beans and pea pods, broccoli raab and more. Check the seed package for days from seed to harvest, and be sure to provide shade while waiting for the plants to emerge and settle in.

Whatever you choose to do this month, take time to enjoy your garden.