Tag: to do list for gardens

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

To Do in the Garden: June 2025

On By durhammastergardenersIn Accidental Cottage Garden, garden tasks, gardening, Gardening calendar, Uncategorized

By Gary Crispell, NC State Extension Master Gardener volunteerSM of Durham County

Close-up of a bright yellow coreopsis flower in full bloom.
A colorful garden scene featuring a rain gauge surrounded by vibrant yellow and purple pansies, with a lush green conifer in the background.
Close-up of a vibrant purple Stokes aster flower surrounded by green foliage.

(Left to right) Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) and Stoke’s aster (Stokesia laevis) are strutting their stuff this June in the ACG thanks to all the rain we received in May. (Image credit: Debbie Roos CC BY 2.0; Melinda Heigel; Hope Duckworth CC BY 4.0)

Will you looky here, it is June.  I must have turned my back in April, and May happened while I wasn’t looking.  I do remember some rain…in bunches.  My gauge reads 6.15” on the 29th with a bit more in the forecast.  We’ll need it this month as things begin to heat up.  The last couple of Junes have been a little stingy in the rain department.

The Accidental Cottage Garden (ACG) has been spectacular all spring.  Right now, there is a plethora of blooms and an exciting palette of colors. I counted nineteen different species in bloom. There are Chinese forget-me-nots (Cygnoglossum amabile), lance leaf coreopsis (C. lanceolata), purple cone flower (Echinacea purpurea), English daisies (Bella perennis) and gallardia (G. pulchella).  There is the luscious pink of the Corsica lily (Lilium x Corsica), and the blue/purple of the Stoke’s aster (Stoksia laevis) playing off each other.  There are two varieties of day lily, Hemerocallis x Stella d’Oro and the species typical orange “ditch lily.”

Another very orange plant currently in bloom is the butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa).  Speaking of butterflies, the butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii) brings some height to the WNW side of the garden.  The sweet William (Dianthus barbatus) is still blooming, though not as profusely as last month and the same can be said of the spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana).

(Left to right) New to the ACG this season is the New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus), a native deciduous shrub that can be found in all parts of North Carolina. Its blossoms are stunning and total pollinator magnets. The conical Mexican hat (Ratitida columnifera) offers up some whimsy. (Image credit: Debbie Roos CC BY 2.0)

A surprise to me (Mostly due to unfamiliarity with the plant.) is the New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) plants installed to replace two crape myrtles in front of the house.  The bees of all types have been all over the white ping pong ball inflorescences.  In front of them the false vervain (Verbena carnea) and forking larkspur (Consolida regalis) provide two different shades of violet.  In the same vicinity are Mexican hat (Ratitida columnifera), tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata) and fire engine red gladiolus (G. communis x hybrid).  Oops.  I left out the cornflower (Centaurea cyanus) and the perennial garden mum (Chrysanthemum x ‘Too-Many-Choices’).  And that’s just the front yard.

There’s a lot to do in June, so let’s get started before it gets too hot.

Lawn Care

Last call to get off your duff and feed those warm season grasses (Bermuda, zoysia).  Well, perhaps not THE last call, but if you want a lush green lawn all summer…just sayin’.  Of course, we all know that you sent in a FREE SOIL TEST last fall or this spring so you know exactly what N-P-K ratio to use and in what quantity to apply…right?  (Come on, friends.  They are FREE from April through November.)

June is THE month to apply fertilizer to centipede lawns.  If you, too, didn’t get your soil tested the recommended application rate is ½ pound of 15-0-14 or equivalent per 1000 square feet.

June is as good a month as any (and better than most) to core aerate your lawn.  It will facilitate getting water and nutrients down into the root zone where the plants can use it.  And it puts air into our heavy Triassic Piedmont soils.  Win, win, win!

Fertilizing

This is a great time to fertilize dogwoods (Cornus sps.).

Vegetable gardens will reward you later if you give them a side dressing of a balanced (10-10-10 or equivalent) fertilizer about now.

Planting

For everyone trying to outlast the frost, it’s gone.  No more until October (maybe).  Therefore, you may plant all the things in the vegetable garden safely.  (Safely, from cold.  No guarantees against critters and single-celled pests.)  It is borderline too late for seeding.  Transplants would be a safer (There’s that word again.) bet. 

Pruning

A collection of gardening tools including various types of pruning shears and loppers with orange and red handles, displayed on a concrete surface.

(Image credit: NC State Extension)

June is a fine time to prune lots of stuff.  Make sure the tools are sharp and lubricated.  (Just the tools, now.  The operator should not be lubricated.)

Coniferous (seeds from cones) trees and shrubs such as cedar, pine, arborvitaes, chamaecyparis, junipers, cryptomeria, etc. may be pruned judiciously now.  Be gentle as these plants do not generally put out new growth below the pruning cut.

Azaleas should be pruned before the Fourth of July except for Encores®.  The only information I could find recommended pruning them in the spring immediately after the first blooming.

Some ericaceous plants (acid-loving) may suffer from a disease called die back.  As the name implies, the branches die back from the terminal ends.  Prune these branches out as soon as you detect it by making cuts 4” to 6” below the diseased part of the branch.  Be sure to sanitize your pruner with a 10% bleach solution between each cut.

Hydrangea macrophylla (macro=big, phylla=leaf) can be pruned when the flowers fade.

Keep garden mums (Chrysanthemum sps.) pinched back until mid-July for nice full plants and lots of fall blooms.

Spraying

Be vigilant in looking for June’s usual suspects—lace bugs on azaleas and pyracantha, leaf miners, especially on boxwoods, bagworms on evergreens and aphids like everywhere on everything.  If the bagworms have already ensconced themselves in their little bags you will have to pick them off individually and dispose of them as you see fit.  I smush ‘em.  Treat the others with the appropriate pesticide applied as per the label.

A close-up image of a person's hand holding a tomato leaf displaying symptoms of early blight, characterized by dark spots on the leaf surface.
A close-up image of a person's hand holding a green leaf with a small insect on it, surrounded by lush green foliage.
A large green leaf with visible pests, including small yellow and green aphids, resting on a green surface.

(Left to right) Be on the lookout for these pathogens and pests this June: circular dark spots on tomato leaves signal early blight of tomatoes; leaf miners on boxwoods leave blister mines and discolored leaves; and aphids, as seen here on a tulip poplar leaf, leave a shiny, sticky residue behind called honeydew. (Image credit: Inga Meadows, NC State Extension; SD Frank, NC State Extension)

Be watchful for tomato early blight.  It is caused by two closely related fungi, Alternaria tomatophila, and A. solani.  (See, I can do research.)  The initial symptoms are dark spots on the leaves.  The spots will eventually form concentric circles.  The leaves will then become yellow, turn brown and fall off spreading the spores to the soil to wait until you plant tomatoes there again next year.  And the cycle repeats itself.  Gaaaah!  Nature can be sooo frustrating!  In order to try to interrupt the cycle, remove the diseased leaves and treat the rest of the plant with an appropriate fungicide.  There are organic options.

While we’re in the veggie garden (If one grows tomatoes amongst the flowers, is it a flower garden with tomatoes or a tomato garden with flowers?  Philosophy is so much fun.) there are vast hordes of insects who think that every week is “Restaurant Week” in the garden.  There are several different moth larvae feeding on the cruciferous veggies (broccoli, cabbages, etc.), cucumber beetles on cucumbers (I mean really?  Where else would one expect to find cucumber beetles?) and melons (Oh.  There.), squash vine borers on cucurbits (squash, melons, not cucumbers), flea beetles on beans, tomatoes, and eggplants, and the ubiquitous aphids about whom we have already gossiped.

Close-up of a Japanese beetle on green foliage, showcasing its metallic green shell and intricate body structure.
Three Japanese beetles on a damaged leaf, showcasing their distinctive green and bronze coloring.

“The Beetles are Coming!” Keep your eyes open this month for Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica). They attack a variety of trees, shrubs, and edible crops. (Right) Among other plant parts, Japanese beetles devour leaf tissue, leaving a “skeletonized” leaf with only the veins remaining. (Image credit: Steve Schoof, NCSU/NCSU Extension)

Japanese beetles will make their grand entrance sometime this month.  Spray them, powder the plants, pick them off and drown (or squish) them.  Back in the cretaceous period, my Dad gave me a penny per beetle collected in a one pound tobacco can with kerosene in the bottom (No longer recommended, of course, but water made sudsy with dish soap is a safe and effective alternative.)  Pretty soon there won’t even be pennies.  This is progress.

Poison ivy/oak, kudzu, and honeysuckle are ripe for eradication efforts this month.

Per usual, continue spray programs for roses, bunch grapes, and fruit trees.

OTHER WONDER-FILLED AND GARDEN-RELATED OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES TO BE PURSUED IN JUNE

Watering.  I know, Mother Nature has on several occasions in May attempted to drown your plants…all of them.  It would be foolhardy to assume that this will continue.  The last few Junes have tended toward the dry side.  Plants in general including the lawn need about 1” of water per week.  If they are in pots or planters, they may need more.  It is best to water in the morning to minimize evaporation and disease spread.  Mother Nature is aware of these admonitions but doesn’t read this blog.1

Strawberry beds can be renovated now because strawberry fields aren’t forever as it turns out.

Patios and decks should receive maximum use this month.  Cool beverages, light hors-d’oeuvres, or charcuterie boards along with lively conversation are highly recommended.  Organic varieties of each are available.

Have a sensational and scintillating summer, Y’all!!  

Notes:

1–Later this month on the blog, Extension Master Gardener volunteer Eric Wiebe will be walking us through sustainable and effective drip irrigation (It’s easier than you think!) Stay tuned.

Resources and Additional Information:

More on pruning hydrangeas in Martha Engelke’s previous blog post “When Should I Prune My Hydrangea?… It Depends:” https://wp.me/p2nIr1-3oH


General pruning tips with NC State Extension: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/general-pruning-techniques

Address Japanese beetle pressure with Kathryn Hamilton’s blog article “Coping During Japanese Beetle “Season:” https://durhammastergardeners.com/2022/06/15/coping-during-japanese-beetle-season-2/

Tips on eradicating poison ivy with Clemson Cooperative Extension: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/poison-ivy/

Article Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-63r