August Gardening Tasks: What to Do This Month to Maximize Your Garden

For me, August gardening is very busy and rewarding. The constant harvesting makes all the weeding and watering worth it. By now, it’s easy to see what grew well, and I’m busy taking notes for next year.

August is also the perfect time to plan your fall garden. You can use our planting planner to know what to plant in your zip code.

If you’re wondering what to do with all your homegrown goodness, take a look at our delicious recipes for tomato sauce, pickles, zucchini bread, fresh salsa, and basil pesto.

When you find yourself with an abundance of cucumbers, peppers, and other fresh produce, consider connecting with an organization that can distribute your excess to those in need.

• Know the date of your expected first fall frost. Then plan your fall garden accordingly.

• Use insect or bird netting to protect your harvest from other hungry creatures.

• Start saving your seeds from your favorite tomatoes, peppers, and flowers.

• Keep taking notes in your garden journal - What pests are you seeing in your garden at this time of year? What has finished its life cycle?

• Time to plant fall crops

• Plant cover crops now for better soil next season.

• Watering remains an essential part of garden maintenance this month.

• Add mulch. We add another layer of mulch in August to keep the weeds out and the moisture in.

• Deadhead flowers to keep them producing new blooms.

• Check for signs of powdery mildew.

• Pruning. It may be time to prune your tomatoes so they finish producing before the first frost.

• Divide daylilies, irises, and other perennials now or wait until early spring.

Keep picking your ripe produce so the plants continue to produce for as long as possible.

• Soil testing. August is a great time to send in your soil samples so you can make amendments before the next growing season.

• Review your Garden Journal and make sure you have noted both the successes and challenges this year.

• Prep your fall garden beds.

• Start fall crops. You can start seeds indoors for a smooth transition when the temperatures are right for broccoli and other brassicas.

• Plant flower seeds: calendula, cosmos, zinnias, sunflowers.

• Herbs to plant now are cilantro, dill, chervil, and parsley.

• Plant cover crops in areas that would otherwise remain bare.

• Add mulch. Another few inches of mulch can benefit your garden now and improve the soil for next season.

• Water deeply. Let the water soak into the roots to keep your plants thriving.

• Deadhead flowers. Remove spent flowers to maintain a tidy appearance and encourage more blooms.

• Enjoy the payoff! Keep harvesting and eating the delicious results of your hard work. If you have an abundance of produce, consider donating it to those in need of fresh food.

Make August a successful month in your garden. With this August Garden Checklist, you can enjoy the wonderful harvest and start transitioning into your fall planning.