August Garden Tasks

It's the hot, sultry days of summer. Watering and weeding may be all you think about. Here are some things to add to that list:

Perennials & annuals
?œ³?¸? Did you know ferns can become dormant if they get too dry? Check the soil regularly for watering needs.
?œ³?¸? Renew annuals by pinching leggy growth and deadheading. Fertilize with a liquid fertilizer, such as fish emulsion, to encourage blooms through the fall.
?œ³?¸? Continue to prune perennials to keep in a desired space and for air circulation.

Vegetables
?œ³?¸? Start seeds now for fall and winter vegetables.
?œ³?¸? Pinch the stems of basil regularly to prevent flowering, and harvest about once a week. Gather herbs for drying as they mature.

Trees & shrubs
?œ³?¸? No fertilizing is necessary this month.
?œ³?¸? Trees and shrubs should NOT be pruned after Aug. 15.

Lawn & landscaping
?œ³?¸? Watch out for yellow patches, leaf curl or poor growth. You may need to increase watering if you see these signs.

Broccoli Bonanza

by EMG Connie Rothwell

Have you ever gulped a handful of vitamins all at once?  Not fun or tasty! 

A tastier way to get vitamin A, C, several Bs, potassium and iron is to enjoy a half cup of steamed broccoli.  Broccoli, a close cousin to cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussel sprouts, is one of the most nutritious cruciferous veggie in the garden.  

Early August is a good time to start your broccoli seeds, but you might opt to buy transplants since they are slow to grow.  If there is a variety that is a “must have,” now is the time to get those seeds started.    Keep seeds moist and in full sun.  Fertilize lightly with a liquid fertilizer.  

Late August and September are the times to transplant broccoli.  Space plants 12-18 inches apart. They need space, or they won’t create a head.  Keep the plants evenly watered. Depending on the weather, broccoli will continue to produce into November or later since it can withstand a light frost.  Harvest when floret heads are 3-8 inches across. Broccoli is a “come again” plant which means when the leaves, stems, and florets are harvested, the plant will grow second and even third harvest.  Add nitrogen to the soil between harvests to encourage new growth. 

Pests still linger in cool weather (darn!).  Caterpillars and aphids are particular nuisances in the fall garden.  Add companion plants. Beets, Dill Swiss chard, lettuce, spinach, and onions are all good choices.  Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) and row covers can be useful.   

Varieties that do well in our area are Packman, Emerald Crown, Lieutenant, Belstar, and Green Magic.  Choose your favorite cheese sauce and enjoy!

Resources: 

“Brassica oleracea” NC Plant Toolbox https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/brassica-oleracea-italica-group/#:~:text=Broccoli%20grows%20best%20in%20full,a%20form%20of%20weed%20control.

“Broccoli.” https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/broccoli/

“Growing Broccoli in a Home Garden” https://extension.umd.edu/resource/growing-broccoli-home-garden/ 

“How to Grow Broccoli in Your Garden” https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/broccoli-in-the-garden

https://ashe.ces.ncsu.edu/2020/05/considerations-for-raised-bed-gardening/

Photos courtesy of NC Extension Plant Tool Box

Monarchs, Milkweed, and More! 

By EMG Alden Picard

Migrating monarch butterflies are listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) by the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission (WRC). According to the WRC, SGCN species are animals or plants that (a) are at risk of extinction, (b) lack proper scientific research needed for conservation, or (c) haven’t received sufficient conservation attention. For species like the monarch butterfly, multiple factors are involved.

Fortunately for monarch butterflies, well informed gardeners can easily participate in conservation by planting milkweed. It is well known that monarch’s require milkweed to successfully lay eggs and bear young.  Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) serves as the only larval host plant for adult monarchs. But what type of milkweed is best? 

There are over ten species of milkweed native to North Carolina. These species coevolved with our native monarch butterfly making them the best ecological and environmental choices for your flower garden. Unfortunately, many are difficult to find in cultivation.  However, the following species are typically available at native plant nurseries and should be planted to support healthy monarch populations:

• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) 

• Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

• Whorled Milkweed (Asclepias verticillata)

Avoid planting non-native introduced tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica). This species does not quickly go dormant in the fall like our natives. Research shows that this introduced species can cause harm by confusing migrating monarchs and changing their behavior. The sudden availability of tropical milkweed can trigger migrating monarchs to lay eggs rather than to continue their migration to wintering grounds in Mexico. This delay in migration can lead to deadly exposure to cold temperatures for eggs, larvae, and adults. 

What’s more, tropical milkweed is linked to the Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE) parasite. Research now shows that spores from this deadly pathogen may concentrate on tropical milkweed in southern states and spread through the monarch population. More research is needed on tropical milkweed in North Carolina.

For those interested in monarch and pollinator conservation, check out North Carolina Wildlife Federation's Butterfly Highway program. There you will find excellent resources including a great list of North Carolina native plant nurseries. 

Photos courtesy of EMG Alden Picard and EMG Gina Tadle

Sources

https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsboroughco/2024/06/01/tropical-milkweed-and-oe/ 

https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-news/tropical-milkweed-bad-monarchs

The Many Shades of Gardening

By EMG Mary Staton

If you have three hours of direct sunlight or less in your yard, you might think having shade is a deterrent to cultivating an abundant garden. Think again! 

Known as shade gardening, there are boundless plant choices to consider when planning your shady places. Shade-tolerant plants include trees, shrubs, groundcovers, vines, perennials, bulbs, ornamental grasses and annuals. Masses of ferns of differing species are favorites of mine! For color, I adore the red and/or white cardinal flower (lobelia cardinalis) and the wonderful “green-and-gold” or golden star plant (Chrysogonum virginianum). Clumps of the cast iron plant (aspidistra) are commanding with striking green spears.

To help understand the four major shades, this list defines their unique characteristics. 

• Filtered shade, or dappled sunlight, occurs under trees with smaller leaves or leaflets and is suitable for growing many plants, even those preferring full sunlight.

• Partial shade may be in shade a portion of the day and then in full sun other times.

• Open shade is when there is an obstacle, such as a building, blocking plants from receiving direct sunlight but allowing indirect light.

• Deep shade, the most restrictive, is found in heavily wooded areas and landscapes under large evergreens or broadleaf deciduous trees (maple, oak, hickory, beech). Deep shade also occurs in a narrow side yard when another building is close or in a recessed entryway on the north side of a house. 

Understanding the characteristics of your yard is critical, too, when designing your garden and selecting plants. Here are three tips for making your assessment:

• Create a pencil-drawn map of your yard on a large piece of paper, noting existing plants and wet and dry areas.

• Track the sun through the seasons, noting areas of shade throughout the day.

• Conduct a soil test to determine the level of nutrients and pH value of your soil to ascertain amounts and types of fertilizer and/or lime to apply.

Next, finalize the garden’s design, gather shade-loving plants you love, and enjoy establishing the shade garden of your dreams! 

Sources: 

North Carolina Extension Gardener Handbook, Second Edition 

##Find a Plant | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu) 

Clemson Cooperative Extension, Home and Garden Information Center

https://hgic.clemson.edu/

Photos Courtesy of Mary Staton

Tomato Hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata)

By EMG Stacy Hodes

Your tomatoes are looking great and then you notice this big green sci-fi looking caterpillar munching on the leaves!  Ugh!  It’s called a hornworm and there are two common types:  the tobacco hornworm and the tomato hornworm.  Either type eventually turns into a brown moth.  This clever quick video from NC State will help you identify which type you have.  They both start out as a tiny white caterpillar but quickly grow up to 3 inches long complements of your tomato leaves.  Both types may need to be removed once they are found.  The easiest method is just to pick them off by hand and put them in a bucket of soapy water.  There are a few organic methods as well to consider that will kill the caterpillars when they are small:  products that contain spinosad, B.t., neem oil or azadirachtin as the active ingredient.  Just make sure you read and follow the directions and apply in the evening to protect pollinators.  If you happen to see a hornworm with little specks of white on them (like grains of rice), don’t kill it.  They are harboring braconid wasp larvae which is a beneficial insect.  The larvae will feed off of the living hornworm, eating it from the inside out until the wasps hatch.  Very gross but so cool!

Photos courtesy of NC State Extension

Resource

https://tobacco.ces.ncsu.edu/tobacco-pest-management-insects-tobacco-and-tomato-hornworm/

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