Category: gardening NC

To Do in the Garden: August 2025

On By durhammastergardenersIn Accidental Cottage Garden, garden tasks, gardening NC, monthly garden tasks

Gary Crispell, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

August. Can’t be much worse than July this year—unless the rain stops altogether. Now, I prefer hazy, hot, and humid, but this is carrying things a bit too far. When my parents lived in Arizona, my mother would brag about their “dry heat.” I’m here to tell you, 110°F and above is hot. Wet, dry, in between – it doesn’t matter. It is HOT

The Accidental Cottage Garden is adapting to climate change by rearranging its bloom schedule. Bloom times are arriving earlier than “the book” indicates. My personal observations (and “scientific” estimation) are that everything has been about three weeks ahead of “the book” ever since March. The increase in temperature – especially nighttime temps – combined with generous (sometimes excessive) rainfall has pushed bloom times forward.

The ACG already looks like mid to late August (read: very sad). A group of Extension Master Gardener volunteers came to the garden to practice photographing plants and blossoms. Unfortunately, many of the most beautiful models had already retired for the season. Not that those remaining are ugly or anything – just that the best display was over three weeks ago. It happens.

Close-up of a wilted Hibiscus flower, showing faded pink petals against a blurred green background.
Close-up of withering black-eyed Susan flowers (_Rudbeckia fulgida_) showing a central brown seed head surrounded by dried yellow petals.

The sad summer garden, worn down by excessive heat and humidity. Left: a droopy Hibiscus sp. (Image credit Jimmi Lazuli) Right: scorched Rudbeckia fulgida. (Image credit: Javin Griffin)

They did get to practice on blanket flower (Gaillardia pulchella), a few black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia fulgida), and a butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa). The balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) is blooming for the second time (‘cause I thwarted its need to seed by removing the spent blooms the first time around). There’s been a bumper crop of purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) and approximately 12,684 evening primroses (Oenothera biennis). WARNING: If you plant one of these, be sure to remove the stems before they go to seed. (Sorry, dry-stemophiles.)

Close-up of Gaillardia pulchella (blanket flower) in bloom, with a dried stalk in the foreground.
Close-up of a pink Echinacea flower, showcasing its petals and central cone, with additional Echinacea blooms blurred in the background.
Close-up view of a purple balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) with detailed petals and veins.
Close-up of yellow evening primrose flowers (_Oenothera biennis_), showcasing their vibrant petals and green foliage.

Toward the end of summer. the garden is tired but still productive. Top three images, from left to right: Gaillardia pulchella, Echinacea purpurea, (Image credit: Javin Griffin) and Platycodon grandiflorus. (Image credit: Jimmi Lazuli)
Below center: Be careful with this native but aggressive beauty – Oenothera biennis, or evening primrose. It will take over your garden if you let it. (Image credit: Plant Toolbox, Andreas Rockstein, CC BY-SA 4.0)C BY-SA 4.0)

That leaves two of my three goldenrods (which I purchased at the Spring Plant Sale): sweet goldenrod (Solidago odora) and early goldenrod (S. juncea), African marigolds (Tagetes erecta), and a lone false vervain (Verbena hastata) to help keep the ACG beautiful.

A vibrant display of orange marigold flowers (_Tagetes erecta_) standing tall among a colorful assortment of other blooming plants in a garden.
A field of blooming purple vervain (Verbena hastata) with slender stems and small flowers, set against a green landscape.
A vibrant cluster of orange butterfly weed (_Asclepias tuberosa_) in full bloom, surrounded by green foliage.

Strong contenders for a sweltering summer garden. From left to right: African marigold (Tagetes erecta), purple or false vervain (Verbena hastata), and orange butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa). (Image credit: Marcia Kirinus)

Okay, okay. I know. It’s a long intro, but the calendar itself is not complicated this month. Therefore, this post won’t take any longer to read than normal. Besides, what were you going to do when the outside temperature is in the triple digits anyway? 

LAWN CARE

Scope out the lawn for grubs. Treat ’em if you find ’em. Otherwise, leave the sprayer hanging in the shed. Late in the month, you can prepare areas that need to be seeded with cool-season grass (fescue, Kentucky bluegrass).

FERTILIZING

If you have strawberries, hit them with a little nitrogen. Do not fertilize trees or shrubbery again until December.

PLANTING

If you’re a start-’em-from-seed kind of person, then by all means—get to it. Sow pansy seeds in flats to be set out in September. Perennials like hollyhock (Alcea rosea), larkspur (Delphinium elatum and friends), and Stokes’ aster (Stokesia laevis) can be sown now for a jump on healthy spring plants.

A lush garden bed overflowing with various leafy greens, including kale, collard greens, and romaine lettuce.
A vibrant cluster of purple and white pansy flowers in a lush green garden setting.

Sow seeds of these cool-season fall crops now to enjoy a harvest later. Left: various greens, including kale, lettuce, arugula, Swiss chard, and bok choy. Right: violets. (Image credit: Marcia Kirinus)

Plant a fall garden. Root crops (e.g., beets, turnips, rutabagas, and radishes) are good to plant now, as are many salad greens (e.g., Chinese cabbage, kale, lettuce, arugula, and mustard). Other fast-growing veggies that are fine to plant now include squash and cucumbers. That should keep you in fresh produce until after Thanksgiving.

PRUNING

Fuhgeddaboudit. No more pruning until the end of November. You get a pass if a hurricane—not associated with PNC Arena—pays a visit.

SPRAYING

Same stuff as last month. Look for spider mites on coniferous evergreens (juniper, arborvitae, Leyland cypress, etc.), lace bugs on azaleas and pyracantha, and aphids on anything green. Maintain your spray programs for roses, fruit trees, and bunch grapes. Watch for worms on cruciferous vegetables (cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) and borers on squash. Only spray when necessary—and always follow the directions on the label.

PROPAGATION

It’s still okay to take cuttings of shrubbery.

AND IF YOU JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THE AUGUST HEAT

Check over your landscape plan (I just know you have one) so you’ll be ready for the fall planting season. If (when?) the August thunderstorms skip your yard, try not to run the well dry—or seriously deplete Lake Michie or Little River Reservoir. You could build a compost bin. Dig Irish potatoes. (I dig ’em roasted with olive oil and tarragon.) Stay cool and hydrated. October is only two months away!

Additional Resources

Edited by Marcia Kirinus, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

Article Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-6cT

Be Your Own Plant Detective: Spot Invasives

On By durhammastergardenersIn container gardening, endemic plants, gardening NC, invasive plants, Invasive species, native plant list for Piedmont NC, native plants, Native plants of NC

By Lisa Nadler and Martha Keehner Engelke, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers of Durham County

Sometimes a plant becomes a rapid spreader working its way into places where you would rather it not go. Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) is an example of this. It is a vigorous twining vine that is native to the eastern United States. It can grow 10-20 feet high in a season. It spreads aggressively. But, because it is native to our ecosystem, it doesn’t displace other native plants in the area. It is not invasive. In contrast, its “cousin” Japanese or Chinese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), a native of Asia, is capable of growing over plants and smothering them. It can displace native species by outcompeting them for light, space, water and nutrients.

“The term invasive applies only to non-native plants; invasive implies a negative effect on native plants and animals. On the other hand, native plants that establish quickly in your garden and spread readily are more appropriately termed “aggressive.”  Aggressive native plants generally are species adapted to recently disturbed sites where they establish and spread quickly but give way to other native plants within a few years”.1

So, how do you tell the difference?

Close-up of coral honeysuckle flowers, showcasing elongated yellow blooms surrounded by green foliage.
Close-up view of coral honeysuckle (_Lonicera sempervirens_) with green leaves and white-yellow tubular flowers growing on a tree.
Close-up of coral honeysuckle (_Lonicera sempervirens_) featuring white flowers and green leaves against a blurred green background.
Close-up of bright red and orange tubular flowers of Coral Honeysuckle (_Lonicera sempervirens_), surrounded by green leaves.

Two of the pictures above are Lonicera sempervirens (native) and two are Lonicera japonica (invasive). Can you tell the difference? Answers are at the end of the post. (Image credit: Top left: Debbie Roos; Top Right: Lucy Bradley, CC-BY 4.0; Bottom left: Hope Duckworth CC- BY 4.0; Bottom right: Chris Kreussing CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Lisa Nadler’s adventure to distinguish a native plant from an invasive plant is enlightening. It is an excellent illustration of how two plants that seem similar and are in the same family are vastly different in the impact they will have on your garden.

Plant Detective: Lisa Nadler

On a recent visit to Cocoa Cinnamon Container Garden2, Lisa Nadler made a discovery. Invasive Chinese or Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) was in one of the painted pots. Lespedeza is in the Fabaceae, or bean family.

A close-up of a painted flower pot containing various plants, including invasive Chinese Lespedeza, with two arrows pointing to the identified invasive species. Background features blue and red patio chairs.
A woman wearing a colorful tank top holds a plant with roots in one hand and gives a thumbs down gesture with the other, standing in a garden setting with outdoor tables and chairs.

The picture on the left shows Lespedeza cuneata growing in a pot at Cocoa Cinnamon. In the photo on the right Deb Pilkington holds the plant after it is removed illustrating its long tap root (Image credit: Lisa Nadler)

So, what is Lespedeza and how did they know it is bad? There are both native and invasive Lespedeza plants and they can look similar. So, you need to know what to look for to know which ones to yank and which ones to leave.

Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) is a warm-season, perennial legume with many erect, leafy branches. It also goes by the name of Chinese Bush Clover. It was introduced from Asia in 1896 for erosion control, livestock forage and wildlife cover.  But, it has no natural diseases or insects to manage it here and it is now listed as a Rank 1-Severe Threat in NC.

According to the NC Plant Toolbox, it may be allelopathic, producing substances that chemically inhibit the growth of other plants. It forms extensive monocultures and develops an extensive seed bank in the soil, ensuring its long residence at a site. Its high tannin content makes it unpalatable to livestock and most native wildlife. So, not a very good addition for wildlife feed. It can grow up to 6 feet tall and once you know what it looks like, you’ll start seeing it everywhere, especially on road sides.

But how can you tell it from the native Bush clover species, Lespedeza virginica and Lespedeza capitata? Here are some clues.

Bloom Color (which wasn’t helpful in this case because it wasn’t in bloom.)

Lespedeza cuneata has white blooms with a touch of purple. The native Lespedeza virginica has purple flowers. But… (isn’t there always a but…) the other common native, Lespedeza capitata, has white flowers but with a redder touch.

Close-up of white and purple flowers of Lespedeza cuneata, a perennial legume with leafy branches.
Close-up of a pink flowering plant with small clusters of flowers, surrounded by green foliage in a natural setting.
Close-up view of clusters of white flowers with pink markings, with a blue butterfly perched on the blooms.

The picture on the left is Lespedeza cuneata which is invasive. In the middle is Lespedeza virginica, a native and on the right is Lespedeza capitata, another native. (Image credit: Anita 363 CC-BY-NC 2.0; CC-BY-SA-2.0; CC-BY-SA 2.0)

Leaves

Okay, so now look at the leaves. The Lespedeza cuneata (the bad guy) has leaves that are more rounded at the end with a single tooth. Also, the veins are straight and easily visible. The leaves of the Lespedeza virginica and Lespedeza capitata (the good guys) are pointier at the end, usually have a less prominent tooth and the veins are curvier (I’m sure there is a specific botanical name for that…).

A close-up image of three leaves held by a finger, showcasing the different shapes and textures of the leaves for identification.
Close-up of elongated green leaves with droplets of water, surrounded by a small green plant, potentially illustrating the invasive Lespedeza cuneata.
A hand holding a sprig with three green leaves, displaying fine venation and elongated shapes, indicative of a Lespedeza plant.

Left to right: Lespedeza cuneata; Lespedeza virginica; Lespedeza capitata (Image credit: Hamilton Native Outpost; Bonnie Semmling CC-BY-4.0; Missouri plants. com).

There are other plant families that include both native and invasive species so it is important to always be on the lookout. The Poaceae family includes invasive and native grasses. The aquatic common reed (Phragmites australis), is native to Europe but very invasive in NC. It spreads rapidly and forms dense stands. Within the Rosaceae family we find native plants but also the highly invasive Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora). Plants in the Oleaceae Family are popular ornamentals and there are some natives but invasive species like Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) and Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) should not be planted. Autumn olive was introduced for wildlife habitat and ornamental purposes but has become invasive. Finally, we have the Fabaceae family. While Wisteria frutescens is a native, Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) and Japanese Wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) are invasive vines in North Carolina. 

So be on the lookout and be your own plant detective!

Answers to quiz: The picture on the upper left and lower right are native (Lonicera sempervirens) the other two are Invasive (Lonicera japonica).

Note 1: This article by Christoper Moorman and Dr. Lucy Bradley, summarizes the differences between aggressive and invasive plants. https://gardening.ces.ncsu.edu/how-to-create-wildlife-friendly-landscapes/why-landscapes-for-wildlife/invasive-species/

Note 2: Cocoa Cinnamon is a demonstration garden located at 420 West Geer Street, Durham, NC 2770. The Durham EMGs provide oversight and it has been an amazing source of information on best practices for growing plants in containers. Here are a few examples of previous posts inspired by the Cocoa Cinnamon project:

Winter pruning of “Little Miss Figgy”: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-5Xr

“Little Miss Figgy in the City” https://wp.me/p2nIr1-50Z

Give a thought to the pot: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-4sZ

Pot Luck: Adventures in Urban Container Gardening: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-2jZ

Pot Luck: A Wildlife Ecosystem in the Middle of a City? : https://wp.me/p2nIr1-2tn

Another series on invasive plants and alternatives by Jeanne Arnts, was recently published on the blog:

From Beloved to Invasive: How does it happen? https://wp.me/p2nIr1-5l3

Replacing Invasive Plants: Suggestions for Beneficial Alternatives https://wp.me/p2nIr1-5CJ

Additional Reading and Resources

For more information on plant diversity check out this article from the NC Botanical Gardens. https://ncbg.unc.edu/2025/03/06/what-are-the-most-diverse-plant-families-and-why-part-one-the-asters

The NC Native Plant Society has good information on identifying native vs. invasive plants. https://ncwildflower.org/invasive-exotic-species-list/

How do invasive plants affect our forests? Here is the answer: ttps://content.ces.ncsu.edu/invasive-plants-and-your-forests

Article Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-68z