Take care of yourself, plants in August heat

Hello gardening friends. August can be a tough month as our gardens begin to look a bit tired and the heat is unbearable some days. Persevere with these tips, as cooler days will be here before you know it.

• If you weren’t able to divide your irises in late July, there is plenty of time to get it done this month.

• Plant autumn crocus this month for September bloom.

• For best selection, buy your spring blooming bulbs as they become available, but keep them in a cool, dry place until planting time of late September through early October.

• Heavy infestations of grubs in the lawn can occur this month. If you have lots of blackbirds or moles visiting, it’s likely they’re dining on grubs and you should treat your lawn as necessary.

Not sure if you have grubs, but you have patches of yellowish brown turf? Cut a 1-foot square section of turf to approximately 1 to 2 inches in depth and peel back the sod. Look for white ‘C’ shaped grubs. Check several patches throughout your yard. Treatment should be considered if you count five or more grubs in any one test section.

• Continue to treat for lawn weeds. Follow directions and precautions on label and remember that more is not better.

• Black sunken spots on the end of your tomatoes? This is blossom end rot, caused from a lack of calcium.

Your soil likely has enough calcium; you shouldn’t need to add calcium. It is more likely that your plants experienced inconsistent moisture (lack of water equals no calcium uptake) during the period of flowers forming fruits. Keep your plants evenly and consistently moist.

• Tomatoes cracking can also be caused by moisture fluctuations. The fruit skin begins to ‘set’ or firm up; a heavy rain or watering occurs after a dry spell, causing the flesh or meat of the tomato to expand faster than the skin can or will grow. I always pick what I can before a heavy rain for this reason.

Cracked tomatoes are usually fine to eat, but they won’t keep as long.

• Feed your roses one last time this first week of August, but not after that, as roses need time to prepare for winter dormancy.

• Stop feeding perennials, but continue fertilizing your annuals.

• Cut out old canes from your raspberries and blackberries. The old canes will be brownish. New canes are green. Cut back new canes to 2.5 feet on blackberries, but do not cut back canes on red raspberries.

• Plant turnips, spinach, lettuce, beans, beets and/or radishes for harvesting this fall around first expected frost.

• Is your blue hydrangea pink? Turn it blue by adding sulfur to the soil, or turn a blue one pink by adding lime. Sulfur adds acidity and lime increases alkalinity.

• Replace water in birdbaths every couple of days to help guard against breeding mosquitoes.

• Plants begin to go on sale this time of year and with a little extra care you can still plant despite the heat.

Use a root stimulator and water consistently.

• Do not fertilize plants under the stress of drought; they need water.

Take it easy on yourself in your garden this month. The weather will be cooling soon and there will be plenty of time to catch up. It’s all too easy to look at our gardens and see only the chores to do. I would encourage that you choose to explore and enjoy the peaceful wonder of nature right in your own backyard.

Happy gardening!

U of I Extension of Tazewell County Master Gardener Tips for August contributed by Vicki Gustafson.
This list provides basic guidelines and certainly may not be complete, depending on individual circumstances. The Extension has a website with further info- http://web.extension.illinois.edu/state/hort.html.
Look for more tips in the Washington Times-Reporter next month.