Lawn Care
•    Treat all lawns for grubs with the recommended insecticides if needed.
•    1/3rd of the growth should be removed when mowing warm season grasses. Cool season grasses should be mowed at  3 – 3.5 inches.
•    Try to change direction when mowing your lawn.  This will help strengthen the roots system and expose different sides of the plant to sunlight.

Fertilizing
•    Be sure to fertilize strawberries with nitrogen this month.
•    Do NOT fertilize shrubs this month.
•    Now is a good time to take soil samples from your lawn especially if you plan to put out cool season grasses.  Soil boxes can be picked-up at the County Extension office.

Planting
•    Vegetables to be planted in August: beets, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard, radish, rutabaga, spinach, squash, and turnips.
•    Transplant broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower plants in mid-August.
•    Continue repotting overgrown houseplants.
•    Plant pansy seeds in flats this month so they can be transplanted to the landscape in September.
•    Perennial seeds to sow this month: hollyhock, delphinium, and stokesia
•    Spider lily, colchicum, and sternbergia bulbs should be planted this month.

Pruning
•    Late summer is NOT a good time to prune trees and shrubs because pruning will stimulate new growth.  That new growth will not have enough time to harden before it turns cold.  Late January and February are the best times to do major pruning.
•    Any dead or diseased wood can be pruned out anytime of the year.
•    Excessive growth on wisteria vines should be stopped to encourage blooms.  Cutting back runners and root pruning can do this.  Use a sharp spade and insert the blade to its full depth in a semi-circle about 6 feet from the main stem.

Spraying
•    Watch shrubs for the following insects: spider mites, and lace bugs.
•    Use recommended herbicide to control poison ivy, honeysuckle, greenbriar, kudzu, trumpet creeper, and wisteria if desired.
•    Continue with rose spraying program.
•    Continue fungicide program for fruit trees and bunch grapes.
•    Peach and nectarine tree need a trunk spray for peach tree borers at the end of August.
•    Spray the following vegetables if insects are observed: broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and squash.
(Pesticides should be used sparingly!  Use only when needed and always follow the label)

Other Activities
•    Prepare a planting plan if you intend on doing some fall landscaping.
•    Now is a good time to construct a compost bin, if desired.
•    Irish potatoes can be dug up this month.