Homegrown: Late summer in the garden

Iowa State University, Linn County Extension Master Gardener Intern, Jane Schildroth, provided the following timely information:

If your yard and gardens are anything like mine, there are a whole lot of “tired” plants out there.  What a growing season!  It has been difficult to keep everything looking perky and colorful this year.  Usually, this is the time of year when the enthusiasm you felt in May has dwindled or disappeared.  To give yourself a boost, you may want to rejuvenate your containers with some fall color available in the garden centers now.  Get creative – and remember that you may be able to plant some items into your garden when the pots have run their course or you might bring cuttings indoors, winter them over and give them a new home next spring.  This is good way to extend the dollars you invest in your garden. 

 There are also some chores to consider doing now or to plan for completion in the early fall.  If we're lucky, your outdoor work won't be hampered by heat, but it is August inIowa!  This is the time to aerate your lawn, especially if your soil is compacted or comprised of clay.  If you have grafted fruit trees, prune the suckers at ground level at this time.  Also, be sure to keep watering any trees or shrubs that you have planted this year – and it is okay to plant new evergreens and shrubs now.  Keep your weeds under control – even with the mulch they will persist.

 You might have planned your garden with dried flowers in mind.  If so, your celosia, globe amaranth and salvia can now be harvested and hung in a cool, dark and dry place to dry.  Or look around, you may begin to notice some other interesting plants that will inspire you to experiment with drying flowers or seed heads.  This can help extend your growing season throughout the year.

 In order to keep your plants producing now, harvest the beans, squash, cucumbers and tomatoes.  Pears should be picked as they turn to a lighter green.  As the tops of your potatoes and onions turn yellow and die, you'll know it's time to harvest those as well.  If you would enjoy a fall crop of lettuce, spinach or radish, this is the time to plant the seeds.  At this point, if you need a break, you can wait until early fall (October) to complete additional chores such as more harvesting, planting of deciduous trees and shrubs and managing the bulbs and roots that will create a beautiful display next season.