August is the time to plant fall vegetables, color and more – The Dallas Morning News

August is nearly upon us, so heres your to-do list.

Theres still time to plant portulaca, purslane, marigold, zinnia, copper canyon daisy, caladiums and ornamental grasses for immediate color. Many great types of salvia are available. Use spider lilies, fall crocus, fall amaryllis, mums and asters for later flowers.

Plant fall vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, cabbage, kale, radishes, turnips, carrots and green onions.

Plant buffalo and Bermuda grasses by seed or sod. Plant St. Augustine and zoysia by solid sod.

Use horseherb, liriope, ophiopogon, Persian ivy and other ground covers in shady areas where turf is struggling. Wildflower seeds are better planted now than in the fall.

Prune declining flowering plants to encourage more blooms. Its an excellent time to prune trees and shrubs since they can heal and start growing better in the summer than in fall or winter. No flush cuts or pruning paints, please.

Foliar feed all plantings with Garrett Juice or compost tea. Also drench the soil of any new or struggling plants. Apply the Sick Tree Treatment to any stressed woody plants.

Water deeply and as infrequently as possible. Your garden and landscape will usually need more water this month. Potted plants and hanging baskets need water daily. Lava sand broadcast freely will greatly help hold moisture and reduce watering needs.

The best pest control results from planting adapted plants, maintaining healthy soil and avoiding high-nitrogen fertilizers and toxic chemical pesticides. This simple approach protects the beneficial microbes and insects so that destructive pests are rare.

For the few pests that do show up, first spray with non-killing repellents such as garlic and garlic pepper tea. If that doesnt stop them all, move to the lowest toxicity killing organic pesticides such as orange oil, spinosad and quality neem products. Add an ounce of liquid molasses to any of the liquid products per gallon to make them more effective and last longer.

Apply beneficial nematodes for grubworms and other soil pests. Spray orange oil for chinch bugs. Do not use pyrethrum products for these or any other pests. Apply dry molasses to the entire site for fire ants. Spray Bt or spinosad products for any caterpillars chewing foliage.

Whole ground cornmeal applications stop all the lawn fungal diseases brown patch, gray leaf spot, take-all patch, etc. Use at about 20 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Hydrogen peroxide can help with various diseases and control algae in ponds and water features. See the specifics on dirtdoctor.com.

Garlic, cedar oil, liquid Bti and oil of eucalyptus products sprayed in an alternating sequence give the best control of mosquitoes.

Mow weekly, and leave clippings on the lawn. Spray noxious weeds with 20% vinegar with 1 ounce of molasses added per gallon. Carefully spot spray in beds and turf. This also works to control suckers on the bases of trees and other woody plants.

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August is the time to plant fall vegetables, color and more - The Dallas Morning News