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Naperville
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Naperville Gardener – Suggested dos and don’ts for your garden in August

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By August the successes and disappointments in your garden are obvious. To have a better outcome in 2017, make a few notes. A gardening notebook is essential—even if it is a meandering prose of your observations. Record any unusual weather, names and locations of plants, and ideas for next year. Write down your sorrows as well as your joys.

Watering: Our plants need about an inch of water every week. Use a rain gauge or place a can in the garden and monitor it to know whether or not it has rained enough to let you out of your watering duties. Water early in the day to allow the foliage to dry, helping your plants to stay healthy.

Mulch: This is necessary to help keep weeds out and to keep your watering effective. Weeds are designed to prevent erosion, so if they see a bare patch of soil, they will find their way and grow there. Cover up any bare soil with mulch, plants or groundcover.

Fertilize your annuals. They can keep going until frost. Don’t fertilize perennials or roses. They need to start slowing down for their long winter’s nap. If you fertilize after August 1, you encourage new growth that will not be strong enough to survive our winter.

Keep weeding! Any weeds and weed seeds that can be removed now will mean less next year.

Deadhead and cut back: Cut off dead flowers (deadhead) and your plants will reward you with new blooms. If a plant is leggy, cut it back and it may come back anew. Fall and cooler weather will encourage a last hurrah for many of our annuals.

Enjoy and share! Cut some flowers, leaves, vines and branches to make a bouquet. The flower from your hosta, a length of clematis vine, a branch of a willow or whatever else is thriving in your garden will make a darling bouquet. While you’re at it, make a second bouquet for a neighbor!

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Marilyn Krueger
Marilyn Kruegerhttp://www.napervillegardenclub.org
Marilyn Krueger is an avid local gardener and member of the Naperville Garden Club.

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