CREATIVE  LANDSCAPES

'Elegant Environments for Your Home'

Garden Planner: August

So this is the month you could be going away on vacation, just do a little watering and weeding in the garden and everything will look great!!  ..... well, as you probably have realized from past years, August is a critical month in the garden and there are some very important things to do!

August is the make or break month for your lawn.  Make sure the grass is cut high, and check for insect damage if the lawn starts to die off, especially in sunny areas facing into the afternoon sun.  Lawns should either not be watered at all, or water deeply in the early morning 2-3 times a week with a circulating sprinkler.

Grass seeding and lawn renovations can be done in mid August through mid October, but you will have a new lawn much faster if you seed between August 15th and September 15th.  Often it is necessary to kill off a poor lawn with 'Round-up' before seeding.  This should be done as early as possible in August as you have to wait 2-3 weeks after spraying before you can seed.  If you would like us to renovate your lawn this fall please call us immediately so we can get to you in time!

This is also an excellent time to re-evaluate your perennial flower garden and plan your new plantings  for the fall.  Tall perennials should be staked this month, and spent flowers should be dead-headed.

A little granular Garden-Tone in your flower pots can help your annuals through the Summer.

Have the hoses ready to water your trees and shrubs throughout the month during dry or hot weather.  Dogwoods will appreciate a couple of long soakings during a dry August.  Native Rhododendrons should also be kept moist.

August is the time to plant your fall crops in the vegetable garden.  In the first week plant peas and kale, in the second week spinach, lettuce and radish.  Cut your cucumbers before they become too big, keep your eggplants well watered, and pick your tomatoes when they are red for best flavor.

Summer is a good time to upgrade your hardscaping:  Install new walkways, build retaining walls, correct water erosion and flooding, and construct  pools and ponds.

Bulbs that add color to your garden in the early spring need to be planted in November.  The best bulbs can be custom imported directly from Holland, but the orders need to be placed by Labor Day!  Call us now to design your bulb display and place your order.

Our volume of calls increases dramatically after Labor day, so call us in August to set up your appointment for fall plantings of shrubs and trees.

Call Creative Landscapes for all your landscaping projects!  A list of our services can be found on the What we do page. 

Check the Garden Planner next month and every month to have the best garden in your neighborhood!

Happy gardening from the folks at Creative Landscapes!

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To set up an appointment with a Professional Designer call 610-565-9910 or Email designs@creativelandscapes.com  giving your name, phone numbers, address and a brief description of your project.

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