It ’s harvest time!In my garden , harvesting season look at off in August . bean , squash , tomatoes , peppers , and Cucumis sativus are producing steadily . ride out on top of harvesting to encourage more flowering and fruiting . I harvest in the former morning hours ; it ’s cooler for both you and your freshly picked produce . Learn how and when to harvest many summertime crop here . If you have more produce than you may eat or process for storage , donate extras to your neighbors or to community solid food plan .

Refresh container plantings . Some cool - lie with plants might bite the dust in spitefulness of extra wet provided in the heat . draw out annuals that are past their prime quantity , and replace them with new one . you may find deals on yearly at your local garden center in August , or you may tryone of these more unusual annuals . Water them in well , and fertilize the container after replanting .

Cut flowers to bring indoors . With so many cutting blossom in flush , including roses , sunflowers ( Helianthusspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–9 ) , cosmos ( Cosmosspp . and cvs . , annual ) , and zinnias ( Zinniaspp . and cvs . , annual ) , institute some of their joy indoors to light up up your family . Pick them early in the morning to keep blooms brisk . expend discriminating pruners or floral snip when make out , and immediately inundate snub stems into water while harvesting . filling vases with coolheaded water , add a couple bead of bleach to keep the water system fresher longer , and add your flush . Voila ! It ’s instant summer in any room your heart desires . Want to grow more bouquet - suitable flowers?Look for breathing in here .

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Care for your outdoor houseplant . With houseplants that are outdoors , make certain they are getting enough moisture . Now is also a good time to give their foliage a good shower . This will hose off any insect that may have regain a new menage . To give them a boost , feed with a low - nitrogen organic fertilizer that will provide some nutrition but not encourage too much development too apace .

turn back sprinkler insurance coverage . Last calendar month I intimate checking the amount of time your sprinkler zones run . It has been a hot , juiceless summer , so now it ’s time to hold in your sprinkler coverage . Look for dry spot in the lawn , including obtrusive arc and circles of green against yellow . These are signs that it ’s time to adjust the sprinkler heads to verify they are cover the whole lawn . If you do n’t know how to align the sprinkler heads , call your irrigation company .

check that everything acquire enough water . It has been so hot and dry that containers need to be watered daily . Some perennial are scramble in temperature above 95 ° F . In a couple of instance , I forgot to add dribble emitters , so that was quickly remedied . In other cases , I spot - watered with either a watering can or the frog eye attached to the hose to overlay a orotund area . The plants forthwith perked up with a lilliputian extra moisture .

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— Michelle Provaznik is executive conductor of the Gardens on Spring Creek in Fort Collins , Colorado .

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tomato harvest

Too many tomatoes? Try processing some for storage or giving extras away to friends and neighbors.Photo: Michelle Provaznik

annual container

A faded annual was yanked out of this container, leaving a spot open for another plant.Photo: Michelle Provaznik

flower arrangement

Cutting flowers for arrangements prompts most plants to produce more flowers.Photo: Jennifer Benner

houseplants outside

If your houseplants have picked up pesky insects outdoors, spray off their foliage with water.Photo: Danielle Sherry

irrigation coverage issue

If you have sprinklers, check for dry spots that signal a lack of coverage.Photo: Michelle Provaznik

watering a hanging basket

Container plantings may need daily watering in the August heat.Photo: Jennifer Benner

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