Gardening Tips for August for Redwood City, CA
Southwest Region
- Check out local plant sales for great deals!
- Start your fall vegetable garden by planting broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, carrots, collards, lettuce, and other cool-season vegetables that will winter over.
- Remove old vegetable plants that have stopped producing; this will help eliminate pests and diseases from your garden.
- Beware of caterpillars, aphids, spider mites, and other insects in the garden. Treat them as needed.
- Stay on top of weeds; don't let them go to seed.
- Deadhead spent flowers; this may encourage new blooms in September.
- During these warmer months, raise the mowing height to 2.5 to 3 inches.
- For Bermuda lawns, water 1 inch per week.
- Check the mulch around your plants; if there is little or no mulch, make sure to put in a 3- to 4-inch layer to conserve moisture.
- Divide and transplant iris, peonies, and other spring blooms as they go dormant.
- Plant new perennials, shrubs, and trees; they have a better chance to establish themselves during the milder fall months than those planted in the spring.
- Order your spring-blooming bulbs.
- Be sure to regularly water your houseplants and potted plants. Use a water-soluble fertilizer so that the plants do not lose vital nutrients. Do not let houseplants dry out.
- Pick your annuals and perennials frequently to encourage more flower production.
