Skip to main content

My August Garden To Do List

Image
Donna Urso
My Little Vegetable Garden
For the first time in many, many years I had a little vegetable garden this year.  It was great fun getting the garden going, watching my seedling turn into full grown plants and harvesting the bounty.

But now it is August.  The dog days of summer have left a toll on my little garden and a bunny is slowly eating away my second planting of green beans.






Do you have a garden?  Here is my August To Do list.  What's on your list this month?

  • Keep Harvesting your Vegetables. Even if you’ve gotten tired of zucchini, it’s important to keep picking those plants. Be happy if your plants are still producing.  I had to pull mine out.  Disease, bugs, who knows what...My squash was NOT successful this year.  Just throw those big squashes right onto your compost pile. Many other vegetables can be frozen for use all year-long. Be sure to keep tomatoes, carrots and other vegetables harvested.  Throw the ones that have fallen to the ground on your compost pile rather than letting them rot in place.
Pick Those Tomatoes
 
  • Fall is Coming.  When a section of your garden has stopped producing pull the plants up and apply some compost to that area so you can plant it later for a fall crop.   Fall crops to plant now are peas, spinach, lettuce and broccoli.
  • Keep Deadheading. Are your annuals and perennials beginning to look raggedy?  Mine sure are.  Keep deadheading your flowers.  This means that you will break off a withered, spent bloom from the plant. It keeps the plants directing energy towards more blooms and foliage, rather than trying to set seed.  Try cutting back your annuals pretty heavily now.  They may perk right up and give another bloom cycle.   I've done it.  It works.
  • Weed, Weed, Did I Say Weed? Weeds will try to go to seed this month, which will make your weeding tasks even harder in the future.   Pull those babies up NOW.
  • It's Time to Enrich the Garden. Many of your plants will benefit from a topdressing of compost. 
  • Pick Your Herbs. Many of your herbs will start to bolt (bloom) this month. It's time to either use them or dry them.
  • Time to Divide and Replant Irises.  Don't you love irises?  Be sure not to replant them too deeply; keep the rhizomes just barely below the surface and make sure they are watered in well.
My June Irises
What's on your August garden To Do List?

Comments

  1. QuiltingrannyAugust 11, 2011 at 10:46 AM

    It all looks yummy. I only have Strawberry plants this year. My August to do list is get my grands ready for school and get the final paperwork done for a new job! Enjoy the end of summer!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Empty NesterAugust 11, 2011 at 11:51 AM

    We're still picking peppers and the last of the tomatoes. Not a single squash, zucchini or cucumber plant made it this year. I was devastated! Not sure what happened there.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Donna UrsoAugust 11, 2011 at 12:04 PM

    EmptyNester, it sure is disappointing when something doesn't work out. I am disappointed about my yellow squash and zucchini.
    Quiltingranny, the chipmunks got all of my strawberries. Maybe I ate one. :(

    ReplyDelete
  4. ElizabethAugust 11, 2011 at 12:10 PM

    Wish I had a garden... =( and can you believe the summer is nearing the end?

    ReplyDelete
  5. kris {life at the table}August 11, 2011 at 4:59 PM

    very helpful! i feel like although it is august, we are only seeing some of our plants begin to gear up...crazy how different our climates are! now that i am one year in, i am definitely going to be more proactive about composting too so that it's perfect for next year's bed. wahoo!

    ReplyDelete
  6. RobinAugust 11, 2011 at 8:01 PM

    I had a very successful container vegetable garden. Lots of lettuce from May to Early July. 24 medium sized tomatoes from one plant which is now over 6 feet tall and loaded with a second harvest. 10 jalapenoes from one plant with 10-12 more on the way. 2 batches of pesto made already with one more harvest of basil soon. And lots of fresh parsley. Of course, my fresh veggie inventory has been enhanced by red onions, radishes, and green beans from your garden!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Chasing JoyAugust 11, 2011 at 9:19 PM

    Thanks for all the advice. #commenthour.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Talk to me. I welcome your comments. (These comments are strictly moderated. Spammers take note.)

More Popular Posts

The Best Asian Dipping Sauce You'll Ever Taste

Donna Urso
If you're looking for a versatile, easy-to-make Asian dipping sauce perfect for sushi and dumplings, then you've come to the right place. This recipe for the best Asian dipping sauce is perfect for any time you want a  kick of delicious Asian flavor. An Asian Dipping Sauce for Sushi and Dumplings Try this if you are looking for a dipping sauce that is a little more flavorful than you typically get with your takeout order. You'll love it with dumplings, too!
2 comments
Read more

How to Make a Perfect Bacon and Eggs Breakfast

Donna Urso
In my opinion, the best breakfast consists of two perfectly fried eggs, crispy bacon, and toast made with hearty bread. This bacon and eggs recipe delivers. Bacon and eggs or eggs and bacon? No matter, it is definitely the breakfast you want on those lazy mornings when you have time to relax around the kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee or two. The Best Bacon and Eggs Breakfast (This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience.  When you make a purchase using these links you help support this blog.) How to Cook Bacon and Eggs My technique was learned from my mom, by watching her make our family's breakfast over and over again, year after year.  This is a basted egg recipe which means the eggs are cooked in bacon grease. Cooking eggs in bacon fat is easy and takes just a little practice to perfect.
3 comments
Read more

Traditional New England Whoopie Pies

Donna Urso
These old-fashioned whoopie pies are soft, chocolatey, and filled with a rich, creamy filling, just like the ones many of us remember. This is a true New England-style recipe. If you’re looking for a true whoopie pie recipe—the kind made in New England with a cooked filling—this is it. Whoopie pies are a beloved treat, a nostalgic dessert that evokes childhood memories and continues to delight today. My mom would make them for us every once in a while. Oh, what a treat to come home from school to a platter of chocolate whoopie pies! This recipe, inspired by traditional Maine-style whoopie pies, comes from my family recipe box. It delivers soft, chocolatey cakes with a rich, creamy cooked filling – no marshmallow fluff needed! The Best Whoopie Pies Recipe (Soft cakes & Creamy Filling) This post includes affiliate links. Whoopie pies are essentially handheld cake sandwiches: soft, round, cake-like cookies embracing a luscious, creamy filling.  While their ...
11 comments
Read more

How to Kill Ants in Your Home

Donna Urso
Simple Homemade Ant Bait That Works If you’ve ever had ants show up in your kitchen, you know how quickly a small problem turns into a big one. This simple homemade ant bait uses just three ingredients and works by eliminating the colony, not just the ants you see. No sprays. No guesswork. Just a method that actually works.
Post a Comment
Read more

Crunchy, Spicy Gingersnap Cookies

Donna Urso
An Old-Fashioned Cookie That Always Turns Out There’s something about a good gingersnap cookie that just feels right. Not fancy. Not complicated. Just dependable… and really, really good. These crunchy, spicy gingersnaps are the kind of cookie you make when you want something you know will turn out—and something everyone will recognize and enjoy. They’ve got that classic crackled top, a warm blend of spices, and just enough sweetness to balance it all out. And the best part? They’re easy. No mixer required. Traditional Ginger Snaps Cookie Recipe ( This post contains affiliate links.  I will be compensated when you make a purchase with these links.) Gingersnaps Cookies This old-fashioned gingersnap cookie is a winner.  It's easy to make and will be a favorite in your recipe rotation.
11 comments
Read more

Grandma's Soft and Chewy Date-Filled Cookies

Donna Urso
One of the things I can count on as the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons arrive each year is a feeling of nostalgia. The traditional foods we serve at our family's holiday tables can surely bring out all the feels. Now that it is officially cookie season, we should kick it off with an old-fashioned homemade date-filled cookie recipe. This is a soft, tender cookie with dates that is a special, nostalgic, family recipe.   An Old-Fashioned Date Cookie Recipe What are old-fashioned date-filled cookies?   Old-fashioned date-filled cookies are a nostalgic, soft sandwich cookie featuring two rounds of tender sugar cookie dough with a sweet, homemade date jam filling in the center.  This vintage 1930s recipe is a traditional holiday favorite, prized for its soft texture and the perfect balance of buttery dough and naturally sweet dates. This old-fashioned, date-filled cookie was my dad's favorite cookie from his childhood. My dad was born in 1932, so this...
18 comments
Read more

Coffee and Dessert-A Perfect Pairing

Donna Urso
3 Easy Coffee Drinks to Make at Home (Perfect with Dessert) Coffee and dessert just belong together. Not in a fussy, go-out-to-a-restaurant kind of way… but in that simple end-of-the-day moment when you want something a little special without making a big production out of it. The good news? You don’t need any special equipment to make a really good “dessert coffee” at home. If you can brew a strong cup of coffee and warm a little milk, you’re already halfway there. In this post, I’m going to show you three easy coffee drinks you can make in your own kitchen, and exactly what to serve with them when you want that coffee shop feel without leaving the house.
55 comments
Read more

Five Keys to Growing A Healthy Ficus Tree

Donna Urso
Have you ever wondered how a single Ficus benjamina tree could become a beloved part of your home for decades, thriving and growing alongside your family?  If you haven’t yet, you might consider the addition of this living, air-purifying companion in your home that not only beautifies your space but also stands the test of time.  You may know this tree as either a Ficus benjamina or a weeping fig.   I have loved growing a ficus tree in my home for 36 years. It’s remarkable that I've had this tree for so long.   How to Grow A Ficus Tree Inside for Decades This post includes affiliate links. I may receive compensation when you use these links. When thinking about how I managed to keep this indoor ficus tree happy, healthy, and growing strong all these years it boiled down to five key Ficus benjamina plant care tips. Follow these tips and you can have a happy, healthy ficus tree in your home for many years, too.
22 comments
Read more

The Ultimate Cinnamon Swirl Bread: A Bread Machine Recipe

Donna Urso
Today's recipe will fill your kitchen with an incredible aroma and lots of smiles. It's homemade cinnamon swirl bread made with your bread machine. If you’ve ever struggled to get that perfect cinnamon swirl or ended up with gaps or leaking filling, this method fixes that using your bread machine. Bread Machine Cinnamon Swirl Bread (Soft, Easy Recipe) This post includes affiliate links. This recipe brings together the ease of your trusty bread machine with the deliciousness of a warm, sweet, and perfectly swirled cinnamon bread. Get ready for a slice of pure comfort!
2 comments
Read more

The Best Way to Cook Bacon: Oven vs. Stovetop

Donna Urso
How to cook bacon is often hotly debated. Cooking bacon in a pan on the stove has always been an easy go-to method. Cooking bacon in the oven has grown in popularity over time.  Are you curious about which bacon cooking method cooks bacon faster, which method produces the crispiest bacon, or which method offers easier cleanup? Those were the primary questions I wanted to answer in this bacon cooking comparison. How to Cook Bacon (This post includes paid links.) Whether you're a breakfast aficionado or just looking for bacon cooking tips for the quickest, crunchiest, and most hassle-free way to cook your bacon, I've got answers. Check out the Oven vs. Stovetop bacon battle and discover the fastest, crispiest, and easiest way to cook bacon for breakfast.
Post a Comment
Read more