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Southwest Gardener's August Checklist
Manage monsoon effects, remember to fertilize and don't let the heat deter you from planting for fall
Noelle Johnson
January 1, 2000
Houzz Contributor. Horticulturist, freelance writer and Certified Arborist who loves living and gardening in the desert Southwest. She loves creating gardens that are beautiful, yet low-maintenance. Vegetable gardening are her newest passion. Her motto is, "Gardening in the desert isn't hard...it's just different".
Houzz Contributor. Horticulturist, freelance writer and Certified Arborist who loves... More
By the time August arrives, it sometimes seems that summer is going to last forever. But the days are slowly getting shorter, and fall will be here soon. In the meantime, summer rains and increased humidity are reducing our hot temperatures for brief periods and also helping water our plants. If you are fortunate enough to get a half hour or more of rain during the week, adjust your irrigation controller to skip a watering cycle or two.
The American Southwest is a vast area, covering all of Arizona and New Mexico as well as parts of California, Nevada, Texas and Utah. The regions of the Southwest are varied and include low deserts, high deserts and mountainous regions, covering USDA zones 5 though 9.
For All U.S. Southwest Desert Regions
Fertilize container plants. Are your container plants looking tired? To look their best, plants need to be fertilized when grown in containers. Use a slow-release all-purpose fertilizer, which lasts about three months, or apply a liquid fertilizer every two weeks. You will be rewarded with bigger plants and more blooms.
For All U.S. Southwest Desert Regions
Fertilize container plants. Are your container plants looking tired? To look their best, plants need to be fertilized when grown in containers. Use a slow-release all-purpose fertilizer, which lasts about three months, or apply a liquid fertilizer every two weeks. You will be rewarded with bigger plants and more blooms.
Enjoy the blooms of summer-flowering shrubs. With the extra humidity that August brings, flowering shrubs like Texas ranger (Leucophyllum spp) respond by producing masses of purple flowers. There are many different species of Texas ranger, with flower colors ranging from white and pink all the way to deep purple. Blooms appear off and on spring through fall.
Shown: 'Green Cloud' Texas Ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens 'Green Cloud')
Shown: 'Green Cloud' Texas Ranger (Leucophyllum frutescens 'Green Cloud')
Prune overhanging branches. Summer rains bring high winds. As a result, limb breakage is common this time of year. Prevent this from happening to your trees by pruning back any overhanging branches that have a lot of weight on the end.
How to Help Your Trees Weather a Storm
How to Help Your Trees Weather a Storm
Spray off cochineal insects from prickly pear cacti. Have you ever seen prickly pear cacti covered in white spots that look like bits of cotton? Many people assume a fungus creates this cottony mass, but the spots are actually cochineal bugs, a type of scale insect.
It is easy to get rid of them; simply spray them away with a strong jet of water.
It is easy to get rid of them; simply spray them away with a strong jet of water.
Low Deserts (up to 3,000 Feet)
Make sure plants aren't getting too much water. With the increased humidity and rainfall that the monsoons bring, your drought-tolerant plants may be getting too much water. Signs of overwatering can include yellow, wilting leaves. To avoid this problem, skip watering during weeks of heavy rainfall.
Shown: Chaparral sage (Salvia clevelandii)
Make sure plants aren't getting too much water. With the increased humidity and rainfall that the monsoons bring, your drought-tolerant plants may be getting too much water. Signs of overwatering can include yellow, wilting leaves. To avoid this problem, skip watering during weeks of heavy rainfall.
Shown: Chaparral sage (Salvia clevelandii)
Start broccoli and cauliflower seeds indoors. It's hard to believe that it's already time to get ready for the fall vegetable garden. To get a head start, plant broccoli and cauliflower seeds indoors, then transplant them outside in the garden in fall.
Mid- to High Deserts (3,000 to 6,000 Feet)
Freshen up flowering perennials such as coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and rudbeckia by deadheading spent flowers, which will promote another flush of bloom in September before they begin to set seed.
Shown: Purple coneflower
Freshen up flowering perennials such as coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and rudbeckia by deadheading spent flowers, which will promote another flush of bloom in September before they begin to set seed.
Shown: Purple coneflower
Watch for signs of iron chlorosis. This time of year, you can often see signs of iron deficiency in plants — also known as iron chlorosis (shown in this photo). Look for light green leaves with dark green veins on the newer growth.
Treat iron chlorosis with chelated iron, available at your local nursery, following the package directions.
Treat iron chlorosis with chelated iron, available at your local nursery, following the package directions.
Plant wildflower seeds now for flowers next spring. Colorful displays of wildflowers are a welcome sign of spring. California poppies, gaillardia, lupine and red flax are just a few types of wildflowers that you can plant seeds for now to ensure beautiful blooms in spring.
Before sowing seeds, deeply water the planting area to a depth of 1 foot. This will help ensure even moisture, which seeds need to germinate. Spread the seeds and lightly rake them into the top inch of soil. Water daily to keep the soil moist (not soggy) until the seeds germinate. Then back off watering to every three or four days.
Shown: Red flax (Linum grandiflorum)
Before sowing seeds, deeply water the planting area to a depth of 1 foot. This will help ensure even moisture, which seeds need to germinate. Spread the seeds and lightly rake them into the top inch of soil. Water daily to keep the soil moist (not soggy) until the seeds germinate. Then back off watering to every three or four days.
Shown: Red flax (Linum grandiflorum)
Upper Elevations (Over 6,000 Feet)
Fertilize grass. Cool-season grass grows most actively in the fall. Fertilizing it toward the end of August will help keep your grass green longer into fall and will allow it to green up more quickly in spring.
Continue watering your lawn every four days. Skip a watering cycle if you receive rain.
Fertilize grass. Cool-season grass grows most actively in the fall. Fertilizing it toward the end of August will help keep your grass green longer into fall and will allow it to green up more quickly in spring.
Continue watering your lawn every four days. Skip a watering cycle if you receive rain.
Harvest and dry herbs. Preserve the tastes of summer by harvesting herbs such as basil, chives, rosemary, sage and thyme and drying them. Pick the herbs, tie them together with twine and hang them upside down in a dark, dry space. Within a week or two, they will be completely dry.
Crumble up the leaves, place them in glass or plastic containers, and seal the containers tightly. Store them in your pantry and add the dried herbs to your favorite dishes throughout the winter.
Crumble up the leaves, place them in glass or plastic containers, and seal the containers tightly. Store them in your pantry and add the dried herbs to your favorite dishes throughout the winter.
Plant spinach and leaf lettuce. There is still time left to grow new vegetables in the garden this year. Sow seeds now for spinach and leaf lettuce; protect seedlings from harsh sun.
Get ready for September. Fall is the best time of year to add beautiful, fuss-free plants to your garden.
More: Month-by-month guides to the Southwestern garden
Get ready for September. Fall is the best time of year to add beautiful, fuss-free plants to your garden.
More: Month-by-month guides to the Southwestern garden
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