August monthly gardening calendar for S, California gardens.

1. August in the Southern California Garden
Each month has its special joys and tasks in the garden. Below is a suggested calendar for August. Remember that
gardening depends on the weather, so tasks, bloom season and activities may vary from year to year.
You can download this calendar at: http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/monthly-garden-tasks-aug
Best of Show:
 Flowers: * Chilopsis linearis, Clematis spp., Heteromeles arbutifolia, Ericameria ericoides, * Eriophyllum staechadifolium, Pluchea
odorata, Oenothera elata, Penstemon spp., Centromadia spp., Cirsium occidentale, Helianthus annuus, Solidago spp.,
Symphyotrichum/Aster spp., summer vegetables
 Fruits/berries/seeds: Comarostaphylis diversifolia, Eriogonum spp., * Rhamnus spp., Sambucus nigra cerulea
 Foliage: evergreen trees & shrubs; silver-white foliage plants
Planning: major planning month
 Choose cool season veggies – browse the seed catalogs; order seeds
 Last chance to order bulbs; native seeds still be available
 Clean/sort/store seeds collected from the garden
 Tidy up your potting bench
 Sit in the shade and think about Water Zones/conservation;
 Plan to increase shady areas for outdoor activities
Hardscape/General:
 Apply/re-apply gravel mulch to wildflower & bulb areas – will help them to look less bare
 Repair/install hardscape; work in cool times of day
 Build raised beds or planters before Sept. heats up
 Create a potting area if you need one; Clean out potting area/check potting supplies & purchase if needed
Propagation:
 Sow seeds of cool-season vegetables in containers – semi-shade.
 Start warm-season grasses from seed in containers – semi-shade
Planting:
 Plant radishes, carrots, beets directly into the garden.
Watering: major watering month for Zone3, Chaparral and Sonoran Desert plants
 Taper off water at the end of the month to native plants except Zone 2-3, Zone 3 & Chaparral and Sonoran Desert plants – give them a
good ‘monsoon’;
 Give plants from N. coast a ‘fog’ spray

2. Pruning: summer pruning month
 Prune for safety & plant health
 Hedge-shear if needed
 Pruning to thin: prune after late spring/summer flowering
 Carpenteria californica
 Heteromeles arbutifolia
 Keckiella cordifolia
 Philadelphus lewisii
 Prunus ilicifolia
 Salvia spp. (prune now or in Oct/Nov)
 Desert Legumes: Chilopsis;
Pruning: summer pruning month
 Mow (if desired) sod-forming grasses, sedges
 Coppice (severe prune) to rejuvenate old plants (after bloom)
 Comarostaphylis diversifolia
 * Cornus spp.
 Heteromeles arbutifolia
 * Philadelphus lewisii
 Ribes viburnifolium
 Rosa spp.
Weeds/Diseases/Pests:
 Look for signs of fungal disease; prune out diseased branches
Edibles/Crafts:
 Pick elderberries, other ripe fruits; use or dry/freeze
 Pick, use or dry/freeze summer veggies
Enjoying the garden:
 Enjoy the shade; cool dry garden shade is delightful
 Search for a new container or garden sculpture
 Eat corn on the cob, melons from your garden
 Make elderberry jelly/syrup or dry berries for tea
7/31/14