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LINDA'S
AUGUST TIPS
In much of the country, August brings hot, dry weather
– and with it, special lawn and landscaping challenges.
Here are some tips to help you keep them healthy.
 Adjust
your lawnmower’s cutting height.
Keeping the grass a little longer will conserve
water, help the roots stay cool and keep light from reaching
weed seeds.
Spot
seed thin spots.
De-thatch and aerate to promote root
growth. Water early in the morning to discourage slugs.
Never
prune shrubs or trees during hot weather.
Consult your local landscaping stores for
the best time to prune individual varieties. Generally, flowering
bushes should be pruned soon after they stop blooming. If
you prune them too late in the year, they won’t bloom
the following year. Some plants also need time to harden off
before cold weather hits.
Remember
you need to deep water trees twice a summer.
Keep sprinklers from hitting trunks; this
can cause crown rot. Instead, use a soaker or a drip hose
and let it drip for 2 to 3 hours. (Young fruit trees need
to be watered every two weeks.)
Water
shrubs deeply once a week during August.
If you have mulch around your shrubs, remove
2 to 3 inches of the mulch from the base of the stems in mid-August.
This will harden the stems so they’re better able to
withstand early frost damage.
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