John Hethrington has been gardening because the age of 9. He spent his youth gardening in Toronto and earned his certification as a Grasp Gardener earlier than transferring to Meaford the place he cultivates 2.5 acres with 20 completely different gardens.
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There’s extra summer season to get pleasure from, however a gardener is aware of it is time to begin planning for fall and spring flowers. Right here is an August-specific to-do listing from space grasp gardener John Hethrington:
- It has been possibly the driest summer season on report. You could water usually and extra importantly water deeply and slowly so it really works into the soil.
- Prime up your mulch. Hold it at the very least two inches deep. It really works to suppress weeds, retains the soil cool and damp and retains the rain we get.
- Sow vegetable seeds once more for a fall harvest (e.g. spinach and a few sorts of lettuce).
- Tidy up crops and shrubs with a bit considered pruning, however early within the month.
- Stake tall perennials towards the wind.
- Lower your grass at the very least two inches excessive to fight drying out. Water nicely when wanted, or when it’s allowed.
- Try bulb catalogues and order earlier than they’re all bought out from BBC, strive (www.botanus.com) for many distinctive varieties.
- Order spring flowering bulbs now for planting in October.
- Fill in any gaps in your flower garden with fall-flowering perennials, like mums and asters.
- Begin drying flowers and herbs. Choose your lavender now for drying.
- Begin to divide daylilies, iris and peonies later within the month.
- Accumulate seeds which have matured however not but fallen from the seed head on crops like poppies. As soon as they’ve fully dried, retailer them in air-tight containers in a cool location or sprinkle them round your garden for color subsequent summer season.
- Take a tough take a look at your garden and determine the place there are empty areas for brand spanking new crops this fall. Establish any crops that haven’t carried out nicely and plan to exchange them with a fall planting program of shrubs and perennials.
- Early fall is a good time to sow grass seed and plant perennials, timber and shrubs. You’ll get an enormous leap on subsequent spring!
- Search for the Gray County Grasp Gardener fall plant sale within the morning on Sept. 10 on the grass at Heritage Plaza in Owen Sound with plenty of distinctive and weird crops on the market.
