Community ClicksGeneral: August is our driest month and usually the hottest.
Monitor plants and keep them well watered, based on their individual needs.
Be vigilant with plants not adapted to drought conditions, or those planted within the last year.
Water plants in containers as often as twice a day, if needed, and fertilize them regularly because frequent watering leaches nutrients.
Continue to weed and mulch.
Turn and moisten the compost pile.
Flowers: Cut flowers for bouquets and deadhead plants to keep them blooming through fall.
Fertilize and water fall-bloomers including asters, dahlias and chrysanthemums using a low-nitrogen fertilizer.
Prune roses for a pleasing shape; remove crossing branches and work to open up the center of the plant for good air circulation.
Pull off sprouts arising below the graft union (suckers) and remove leaves with black spot; do not compost.
This is the last month for planting roses; be sure to mulch after planting.
Prune hydrangeas as soon as flowers begin to fade.
Shear lavender to reshape it after blooming.
Divide early poppies.
Bulbs: Divide and replant iris.
When cutting lilies for bouquets, leave as much of the stem as possible (at least two-thirds) as they regenerate their bulbs from the stem.
Trees and shrubs: Purchase trees and shrubs for good buys but do not plant them until fall.
Leave them in pots and water regularly.
Avoid extensive pruning of trees and shrubs since it encourages new growth late in the season; remove dead material and shape lightly.
Fruit trees and small fruits: Harvest fruit when ripe; pears are an exception and should be harvested when full-sized but still hard.
Apples are ripe when the seeds turn brown; blueberries are ripe two to three days after the entire berry (including the end next to the stem) turns blue.
Clean-up, fertilize and water June-bearing strawberries after harvest to encourage the formation of next year’s fruit buds; remove weak, old, and crowded plants and narrow rows to 8- to-12-inches wide.
Prune out second-year raspberry and blackberry canes (canes that just fruited) after harvest.
Trellis first-year canes of trailing blackberries unless you live at a higher elevation.
Veggies: Plant kale, spinach, cabbage, lettuce and cilantro for a winter garden.
Sow beets and turnips for a fall garden.
Keep planting lettuce, radishes, carrots and chard.
Transplant broccoli, cauliflower, leeks, Brussels sprouts and Chinese cabbage starts, covering with row cover to prevent insect infestations.
If squash and cucumber plants show powdery mildew, cut off affected areas.
Stop watering garlic and harvest it when four or five leaves are still green.
Lift garlic bulbs gently from the soil (do not pull them) and brush off dirt; store them in a dry, dark place to cure for up to six weeks.
Remove and dispose of tomatoes showing signs of late blight such as water-soaked spots on the leaves, stems or fruit.
Lawns: Mow the lawn and keep it watered.
Don’t fertilize this month.
Marilyn Stewart and Janet Oja are certified Washington State University Clallam County Master Gardeners.
For more gardening information, attend the Class Act Series at the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden, 2711 Woodcock Road. These free educational events are held at 10 a.m. on the first and third Saturday of each month.
On Saturday, Aug. 6, Sue Shirkey from Port Williams Lavender will talk about growing lavender on the North Olympic Peninsula.
