Butterfly bush, Buddleja (Buddleia) davidii, photo by Amanda Jarrett
The Garden Website for AugusT
New - Tomato Tips
August Introduction - August Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - August Garden Chores
August Garden Stars - Plant Police - August Lawn Care - Watering Tips
Drought Gardening - Harvesting Fruit - Harvesting Veggies - Summer Pruning
Tomato Troubles - Winter Veggie Gardening
It's Powder Mildew Season - Planter TLC - Harvesting Spuds - Shrubs After the Flowers
August Arrangement - Need Help? - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Rose of Sharon
August Introduction - August Plant Combo - Amanda's Garden Blog - August Garden Chores
August Garden Stars - Plant Police - August Lawn Care - Watering Tips
Drought Gardening - Harvesting Fruit - Harvesting Veggies - Summer Pruning
Tomato Troubles - Winter Veggie Gardening
It's Powder Mildew Season - Planter TLC - Harvesting Spuds - Shrubs After the Flowers
August Arrangement - Need Help? - For the Tropical Gardener - Plant of the Month: Rose of Sharon
'Coronation' grapes ripen this month.
August Intro
One tomato plant too many.
It’s August and the heat is on – finally. It’s been cool here in coastal British Columbia and many cool season plants enjoyed the mild temperatures and the rain. It was great not having to water, which I think most gardeners can relate to. It would be nice to have some heat though and some sunshine; after all it is supposed to be summer.
August is known to be our hottest and driest month. Lettuce, spinach and other cool babies are at the end of their life, however the hot tamales of the garden such as tomatoes and peppers are relishing the heat and all the glorious sunshine. I have to admit I don’t like it when it gets too hot and dry, because I end up spending oodles of time in the garden watering. Due to water restrictions, we can only put the sprinklers on for two days a week so supplemental hand watering is necessary, so plants don't suffer. I have been known to grab the garden hose just before we head out – all dressed up and wearing heels only to get soaked – argh. I should put blinders on so I don’t see the garden on the way to the car. I can’t find any for mad gardeners though, just for horses. Another time consuming task this month is harvesting; it’s difficult to keep up. Because of this, I have reduced the number of my tomato plants to three. Perish the thought of going on vacation without anyone to harvest in our absence - the tomatoes would be a disease ridden, mushy mess. Thank goodness for my friend and neighbour, especially since she also has her own garden to tend to. The joy of eating something you have grown with your own lily-white hands is worth all the TLC devoted to their well-being. It’s true you can buy inexpensive produce from the stores and at farmer’s markets without getting your fingers dirty, however, you can’t get any fresher or sweeter goodies than harvesting from your own back yard. After all, there’s no delays from garden to kitchen, no transportation is necessary, no extra handling by others and you have reduced your carbon footprint. For those that don’t have a veggie garden, good for you! If we all grew veggies, then who would we give all our bountiful harvests to? So thanks to all you non-veggie garden people for loving our home-grown treats! Cheers and happy harvesting - oh, and eating! Amanda
Ponds, bird baths & water features: Water evaporates quickly with the heat so check every few days and replenish the water when necessary. Remove any organic debris asap.
Ask Amanda
Question
I've attached some pics of my weeping maple that's suddenly struggling....any ideas? Michelle, Delta, BC Answer Japanese maples are known to be easy care, but when they are unhappy they drop their foliage, and if the issue isn't rectified, their stems start to die starting at the tips. Culprits include incorrect conditions, incorrect maintenance or worst case scenario, it could be infected with a disease. First, assess the growing conditions and its maintenance. They prefer conditions similar to their native Japan in areas where conditions are wet, rainy and foggy with high humidity. One of the main reasons of dieback here in BC is lack of water as our summers are hot and dry. The following are common reasons for premature foliage drop from Japanese maples. Read more.. |
Amanda's Garden Blog
Aubade oriental lily (Lilium x hybrid oriental 'Aubade')
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Marguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum) is a showy annual.
August Garden Stars
Fleabane (Inula spp.) grows to 6 ft depending on variety. Full sun, Zones 3-7. Can be invasive depending on the species and location.
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Hillside Black Beauty bugbane, Actaea (Cimicifuga) simplex 'Hillside Black Beauty', likes shade and grows to 3ft, including the flower spikes.
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Yellow and red trumpet vines (creeper), intertwine. They love full sun and are quite vigorous growers.
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Glossy abelia, Abelia x grandiflora, broadleaf semi-evergreen shrub, 4 - 6’ x 5’, fragrant flowers June - October, sun, part shade. Zones 6 to 9.
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Double Decker coneflower,
Echinacea purpurea 'Doubledecker', prefers full sun, grows to 30 inches, a perennial for Zones 3-9.
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'The Rocket' leopard plant, Ligularia stenocephala, herbaceous perennial, 3-5' x 2'-4', part shade to shade, tolerates wet soil. Zones 4 to 8.
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A flower from the Persian Silk tree. Ultimate height is 52 feet, but in Vancouver it's half the size. Zones 6 to 9.
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Garden phlox, Phlox paniculata, herbaceous perennial, fragrant blooms July - Sept, sun to part shade, 2’ to 4’, equal spread, attracts butterflies, hummingbirds. Zones 4 to 8.
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Butterfly bush (Buddleja (Buddleia) davidii) attracts butterflies, but is considered an invasive species in many locations.
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This sun loving perennial grows to 30 inches, attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Zones 3-8.
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Monarda didyma, scarlet bee balm, herbaceous perennial, 2'-4' x 3', sun to light shade, attracts hummingbirds, butterflies. Zones 4 to 9.
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Hardy fuchsia, Fuchsia magellanica, a tender perennial suited to afternoon shade, Zones 6 to 9, grows up to 5 feet.
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August PLANT COMBO
Purple phlox, a white PeeGee hydrangea and pastel apricot 'Jill' dahlias.
When other plants have passed their prime, this threesome makes a bold statement. The colourful purple flowers in the foreground are garden phlox (Phlox paniculata). The cone shaped white flowers in the rear belongs to a standard (one main trunk) PeeGee hydrangea (H. paniculata 'Grandiflora'). The pale salmon coloured flowers shaped like pompoms are dahlias called 'Jill'. This combination is suitable for sun and partial sun locations. This trio attracts bees and butterflies in sun to partial shade locations.
Watering Restrictions
Please note that watering restrictions for lawns are not the same for gardens.
For Metro Vancouver, B.C.
Water restrictions start May 1 and end October 15. If you don’t live in Metro Vancouver, contact your local municipality for their watering restrictions. Residential Lawns:
plant police
The container grown jasmine has run out of food, hence the pale foliage.
Pale foliage and green veins are symptoms of a lack of iron and/or nitrogen. Potted plants, like this jasmine, are prone to nutrient deficiencies and must be given food before they weaken and succumb to insects, diseases and death. A liquid feed of kelp or fish provides food quickly and efficiently. Follow up with a slow release fertilizer that contains iron and other micro-nutrients. Trace nutrients are also sold separately. Mix in a couple of inches of compost to provide more nutrients long term. For more on fertilizing plants click here. Click here for nutrient deficiencies.
Watering Tips
This 3 zone irrigation timer includes an outlet for manual watering.
Drip Systems & Soaker Hoses
Drip systems are excellent for planters, it's not a good idea to rely on them to keep gardens happy. Drip irrigation only wets a very small area. Because of this, they must be placed strategically, just above the roots. To ensure that plants are receiving adequate water, note the pattern of wetness on the soil and adjust the time accordingly. The plants will let you know quite quickly if they are still thirsty. To make drip irrigation more effective, add a good 3 inches of mulch over top of the soil and between plants.
Soaker hoses seep moisture into the soil, but as with drip systems the moisture doesn’t spread far and wide. Place the hoses close together for more effective wetting and cover the soaker hoses with a layer of mulch. Tackling Tomato Woes
Split tomatoes are a common problem on thin skinned varieties and is due to infrequent watering.
There are many things that can go wrong when growing tomatoes. Weather certainly plays its part and often is the determining factor of their fate. Different climates results in different problems, hence the following list, which applies to the Pacific Northwest.
Click here for: Quickie Tomato Troubles Table Happy Tomatoes - Late Blight - Cracked Tomatoes Blossom End Rot -Verticillium Wilt Early Blight - Preventing Diseases 
Late blight is caused by wet foliage due to fog, dew and watering overhead.
August Tomato Tips
Cut back tomato stems above a flower or fruit cluster to encourage the remaining fruit to ripen and to tame stems.
Yellow foliage indicates this tomato plant is lacking food.
AugusT Lawn Care
The lawn on the left is healthier than the one on the right as it has been cut higher, mowed more often and receives 1 inch of water/week.
Thirsty lawn symptoms
Water your lawn during the summer to prevent lawn grubs such as chafer beetles.
Drought Gardening
Curled foliage on this astilbe is a symptom of arid soil.
Drought is a serious problem for many gardens throughout the world. Even in the 'wet coast' of British Columbia, the summer months are quite arid. There are numerous techniques and garden practices that are helpful to keep the soil moist and plants happy. Many of these techniques are practical, efficient and most importantly - they work.
How can you tell when a plant is thirsty? Wilting is a common symptom, but it's not the only one. Did you know that trees also suffer from a lack of water? Although they don't wilt, they do show their displeasure. To learn more about drought gardening, how to tell when plants are thirsty, click here. Fruit Harvests
Okanagan peaches.
Ripe fruit at their peak are packed with vitamins and other goodies. They also taste better too. Here is a quickie guide to picking the cream of the crop.
Summer Pruning
Remove dead dahlia flowers and their stems to tidy plants, reduce diseases and to encourage more blooms.
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August Garden Chores
Floppy plants? These balloon flowers (Platycodon grandiflorus) are held up by inexpensive wire fencing from the dollar store. Little wire trellises also work well.
Cuttings: Take cuttings (herbaceous type) from annuals now so you can over-winter them as houseplants: impatiens, coleus, petunias and geraniums. Click on the picture to learn how.
Take cuttings from your favourite rhododendrons and other shrubs now.
Cuttings from Shrubs, Trees & Vines: Take semi-hardwood cuttings from stems with a woody base and soft green tops ex: hydrangea, camellia, Mexican mock orange (Choisya), California lilac (Ceonothus), heather, hebe, mahonia, lavender, viburnum, magnolia, rhododendron, conifers, jasmine, passion flower. If in doubt, experiment and take as many cuttings from as many plants as you like. Learn more click here.
Once lettuce plants have bolted, their leaves become bitter and inedible, however their flowers benefit bees and other pollinating insects.
Collect hollyhock and other mature seeds once their seed heads have turned brown. Pick when they're dry to the touch. Store in paper bags or envelopes in a frost free, dry place. Label with harvest date & name. Click on the picture above for more info.
Plant Fall/winter veggies
Kale is a winter hardy plant that will survive for 2 years.
Direct seed or use starter plants to harvest in fall and winter: arugula, beets, lettuce, endive, pac and boc choi, radicchio, radish, scallions and spinach. For more on Winter Veggie Gardening click here.
Plant Cover Crops
Crimson clover adds nitrogen and organic matter to the soil. Their colourful flowers also attract pollinators.
Once crops are harvested, plant a cover crop in their stead. Cover crops help build soil as they add organic material and nutrients. Fall rains and winter weather takes its toll on bare soil as nutrients and soil is lost through leaching and erosion. However, when planted with crimson clover or another cover crop, the opposite occurs. Pollinators and other beneficial insects enjoy the flowers of cowpeas, fava beans, clover, rapeseed, buckwheat and rapeseed.
Fill garden spaces: Plant cover crops were veggies were harvested or plant between existing veggie crops. Timing: Plant from August to late September. The sooner you plant cover crops the better so they are well established before winter. For more on Cover Crops click here. It's Powdery Mildew Season
Powdery mildew has attacked this Tropicana rose.
Powdery Mildew: It is the time of the year where crops as well as garden plants develop powdery mildew. This white powdery disease is common on cucumbers, tuberous begonias, melons, phlox, roses, tomatoes and many other plants. To learn how to control this disease read more...
Planter TLC
Many plants growing in containers are pretty worn out this time of year, especially if they haven't been fed or regularly watered. To give planters a new lease on life, remove any old and tired annuals, or cut them back. If there's room, add some compost on top of the soil and/or slow release fertilizer. Cut back any spindly and unhealthy growth from the remaining plants. Remove any dead flowers and seed heads. Give the remaining plants a liquid feed of kelp or fish fertilizer or another liquid fertilizer for a quick pick-me-up.
For fall colour add dwarf asters, chrysanthemums, coral bells (Heuchera), blue fescue (Festuca glauca) and other featured plants available at garden centres. If you want them to last throughout the winter, select hardy plants that are a growing zone lower than your zone. For example, if you live in USDA Zone 8, select plants from Zone 7 and less. Leave room to plant some spring flowering bulbs when they arrive in stores next month. For more on container growing click here. 
'Audrey' a dwarf New York aster flowers through fall and is perfect for containers.
Harvesting Spuds
Harvesting Veggies
A bountiful harvest.
Produce fresh from the garden are best picked in the morning as they are full of moisture and at their peak of freshness. To prevent the spread of diseases, wait for the morning dew to evaporate.
To learn more about picking at the peak of perfection and how to harvest beans, cucumbers, zucchinis, onions, garlic, shallots, herbs, basil, asparagus, beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, cauliflowers, corn, beets, eggplants, kale, parsnips, peas, peppers, tomatoes, root crops, click here. Wilted Raspberries
A healthy raspberry.
Lack of water may not be the cause of wilted raspberries, especially at their tips, it could be crown borers. Look for two rings at the stem below the wilted shoot, as that is where the adult crown borer deposited her eggs. Control is easy, just remove the part of the stem between the two rings and throw it out. If not removed, the larvae migrates down to the plant’s base. Infested canes break easily and die following year. Since the pupa overwinters in the soil, it is important to remove affected canes asap.
Shrubs: After the Flowers
Shrubs will survive without pruning after flowering, but it is the perfect time to tame and restore them. Removing faded blooms not only tidies up a plant, it redirects energy that would be used for seed production into leaves and stems. It also prevents unwanted seedlings from popping up.
Remove dead flowers by cutting back stems to a healthy, robust leaf, a cluster of leaves, a node (bud) or side branch. Angle the cuts to 45 degrees to allow water to run off. After deadheading, remove any spindly, old, broken diseased and dead stems. Shorten stems by ¼ and cut just above a node (bud) on a 45 degree angle, or just above side branch. Just lopping off a shrub’s head with shears produces lots of little branches that become a tangled mess. When they are not cut above a node or side branch, stems die back to the closest bud and oftentimes, even beyond that. Spring flowering shrubs: It’s too late in the year to cut them back as you will be removing next year’s flowers. For more on pruning click here. 
Cut back branches to just above a leaf or side stem.
August Arrangement
August floral arrangement includes hydrangeas, gladiolus and lilies.
The red flowers are 'Traderhorn' gladiolus, the small white held in clusters are 'Bobo' hydrangea and the lilies on the table are 'Casa Blanca' oriental lilies.
Click here for more Monthly Arrangements. |
Plant of the month
Rose of Sharon
Hibiscus syriacus
Rose of Sharon resembles its cousin, the tropical hibiscus.
Many rose of Sharon blossoms have a splashy contrasting eye surrounding the base of the pistil stalk.
Mature plants grow to 12 feet high and spread to 10 feet wide.
A stunning red and white cultivar accentuates the pistil column in the flower's centre.
A double variety.
Flowers only last a day, but they are profuse with plants blossoming from July until frost.
Rose of Sharon are tolerant of cold weather and are hardy USDA Zones 5 to 8.
Seedlings under the parent plant are common when conditions are favourable.
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Common Name: rose of Sharon
Botanical Name: Hibiscus syriacus Form: upright vase, multi-stemmed Family: Malvaceae Genus: Hibiscus Species: syriacus Plant Type: deciduous shrub Mature Size: 8 to 12 feet x 6 to 10 feet Growth: fast Origin: China to India Hardiness Zone: 5 to 8 Foliage: palmate veined with 3 lobes and coarsely serrated margins up to 4 inches long Flowers: June to October, circular flared 5 petalled blossoms up to 3 inches wide, single prominent pistil column with many stamens. Pinks, reds, purples and white, often with a colourful eye in the centre. Fruit: seed pods with small black viable seeds in October Exposure: full sun to light shade Soil: Soil tolerant but prefers moist well-drained soil. Benefits from a layer of mulch. Aborts flower buds if soil is too dry. Uses: mix borders, hedgerow, naturalize, birds, butterflies, foundation, containers. Propagation: semi-hardwood cuttings just prior to flowering, seeds (seedlings may not resemble parent plant) Pruning: late winter before new growth emerges Problems: self-seeds, no serious problems, slight susceptibility of Japanese beetles, whiteflies, aphids, rusts, blights. Comments: Rose of Sharon are the hibiscus of the north. This showy shrub is a hardy relative of the more exotic and tropical hibiscus, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (USDA Zones 9 to 11). Their hollyhock-like flowers last for just a day, however, they blossom for a few months in late summer to frost. Many cultivars are available with colours ranging from reds, blues, purples and whites. A protruding stamen laden pistil is surrounded by 5 petals for single varieties and many more for double varieties. A colourful contrasting ‘eye’ often surrounds the base of the pistil. Rose of Sharon perform best in full sun in humus rich moist soil surrounded by 3 inches of an organic mulch. Although they like the heat of summer they do not like dry soil and will abort their flower buds if the soil is too dry. On the other hand, yellow foliage often indicates overwatering. If conditions are satisfactory their seeds will form colonies around the mother plant. However, since the babies will not be identical to the parent plant, you might get some beauties – if you want to grow them on. Winterkill: Avoid fertilizing after July as new growth is susceptible to frost damage. Winter Protection: In Zones 5 and less, pile 6 inches of a winter mulch over the crown (where stem and roots meet). Pruning To prevent leggy-ness and encourage compact growth, cut back stems back to 2 to 3 buds in late winter to early spring. Deadhead Remove spent blossoms after flowering to prevent them from re-seeding in areas where it is a problem. Birds & Wildlife: Blossoms are frequented by bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Their seeds provide food for many birds. 
To encourage bushy growth, cut back stems to just above a bud (node) or leaf.
Flowers preparing to open for the day.
Serrated foliage bears 3 lobes and grow up to 4 inches long.
Small black seeds are released from these capsules in October.
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The rose of Sharon is a cold hardy hibiscus species.
Need Help?
Need help figuring what to do in your garden? Make an appointment for Amanda to come to your garden to show you how to grow food, sow seeds, prune, design beds etc. Need help trying to figure out how to get the garden ready for spring? Get Amanda to teach you the ropes by making an appointment here.
for the tropical Gardener
While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
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Container Growing 101Monthly Flower Arrangements
Growing Roses Introduction Mulching & Types Introduction |
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