[Image: Garden]August Gardening -- August is officially the last full month of summer, and weather conditions aren’t normally the best for vegetable production. This has been an exceptionally tough year on vegetables. May and June were record hot and dry. Without irrigation, many vegetables died or were poor producers. Even with irrigation, production was less than satisfactory. About the best that we can hope for with irrigation in a drought is to keep the vegetable plants alive. But that is okay. Unless you keep them alive, they don’t have a chance to recover when the rains resume. In July, rains became more common, but no one had any surplus.
A few perennial vegetables can be held over for fall production. Other plants may be started now for a late-season garden. Late-season vegetables usually aren’t as productive as spring gardens. However, they furnish fresh vegetables into the fall if properly started and cared for. Lack of water can also be a factor in fall gardens. Be prepared to irrigate if necessary. The insect pests are also more common in the fall. Control these pests with a regular spray schedule.
Here are some vegetables that can by used in the fall garden:
Peppers -- can be held over from the spring. If foliage is healthy, continue to maintain good soil moisture. The plants will bloom, but might not set fruit in hot weather. As soon as the weather cools, fruit will begin to develop. Bell peppers quite often produce more fruit in the fall than they did in the spring, though the fruit is usually smaller. Their production will continue until they are killed by cold weather. Sometimes, they will survive a mild winter and begin to produce the next spring. Young peppers can also be transplanted now for fall production.
Tomatoes -- can be transplanted now. Be sure to irrigate if necessary and control the bugs. A regular, weekly application of a recommended fungicide is also necessary for successful fall tomato production. One advantage of fall tomato production is that spotted-wilt virus is much less common. The winter weeds that harbor the virus are long gone and haven’t emerged for next year. Those varieties that aren’t spotted-wilt resistant usually produce much better in the fall.
Snap beans -- should be planted in late August and early September. This crop will benefit from irrigation more than other vegetables if the weather is dry. This is a quick to produce vegetable requiring only 50 days or so from planting to harvest. Bush-type snap beans are preferable to pole types for fall planting because they mature in fewer days. Harvest regularly to keep the plants blooming. Don’t over fertilize with nitrogen. Beans are legumes and will provide their own nitrogen if grown under good conditions.
Cabbage -- transplants can be set in August through mid-October. Cabbage is very sensitive to soil acidity. Be sure your soil pH is in the 6.0-6.5 range for best production. Space cabbage plants about 12 to 14 inches apart to allow adequate room for growth. An early-maturing variety usually performs best. Rio Verde works well for late plantings. Again, supplement with irrigation if there is low soil moisture. Caterpillars (loopers) are often a problem in cabbage. Apply a Bt insecticide if caterpillars begin to cause holes in the leaves.
Irish potatoes -- can be planted from mid-August to September. Plant small, whole potatoes into a moist soil. Don’t plant potatoes that are sold for food. Many of these have been handled to improve storage life and prevent sprouting. Mulch with straw to conserve moisture and combat weeds. It often takes a while for potatoes to sprout in the fall. They require a rest period if harvested in the spring. Be patient.
Seeds to plant in August -- include bush lima beans, cucumber, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, purple hulled peas, mustard, and shallot sets. Collards are the only good green that must be started this early. They have a long growing season. Brussels sprouts also have an extremely long growing season. Seed them now or transplant them in the end of August. They won’t produce sprouts until spring.
I want to mention an annual cause for concern to many gardeners that really is not a problem.
Psocids -- Recently, I have received questions on an old, favorite topic -- the psocids. Psocids form webs on the bark of tree trunks and limbs. These webs adhere very closely to the bark and give the appearance of a silk stocking over the trunk or limb. These are usually most common on oak trees. They can also appear on other trees and shrubs. Psocids are not harmful to the plant or to animals. They are small, primitive insects that feed on dead bark scales and lichens growing on the tree bark. The web protects them from predators. These insects are nature’s clean-up crew. In the winter, they will return to the leaf litter on the ground. Their webs will tatter and blow away over the winter. The area under the web will look much cleaner and fresher after they leave. Don’t let psocids worry you. No control is needed. If you find the web unattractive, sweep it away or use water pressure to remove it.