Learn the August garden tasks for your gardening hardiness zone. Do you know what your hardiness zone? Once known, then find the required task.
Zone 1
- Sow seeds of wildflowers and fall veggies
- Aerate, dethatch and fertilize the lawn
- As first frosts threaten, pick mature green tomatoes to ripen in a dark, cool place indoors
- Purchase containerized trees and shrubs to plant now
- Pick herbs to dry for winter soups, stews and baking
- Begin to dig up summer bulbs to store indoors
- Order spring bulbs to force indoors
- Build up weather resistance of trees and shrubs with deep waterings throughout the fall
- Start moving tender plants indoors to acclimatize them or take cuttings
- Spread newly made compost around trees, shrubs and perennials; winter weather will work it into the soil
Zone 2
- Plant hardy Oriental and Asiatic lilies
- Sow seeds of wildflowers, spring-blooming annuals and fall veggies
- Aerate, dethatch and fertilize the lawn
- Start moving tender plants indoors to acclimatize them or take cuttings
- Pick herbs to dry for winter soups, stews and baking
- As first frosts threaten, pick mature green tomatoes to ripen in a dark, cool place indoors
- Purchase containerized trees and shrubs to plant now
- Plan ahead for an extended harvest by building or buying a cold frame
- Begin to dig up summer bulbs to store indoors
- Order spring bulbs to force indoors
Zone 3
- Sow seeds of wildflowers, spring-blooming annuals and fall veggies
- Lift, divide and transplant perennials
- Plant hardy Oriental and Asiatic lilies
- Aerate, dethatch and fertilize the lawn
- Start moving houseplants and other tender plants indoors to acclimatize
- Pick herbs to dry for winter soups, stews and baking
- Order trees and shrubs now for fall planting
- Plan ahead for an extended harvest by building or buying a cold frame
- Blanch tomatoes for freezing and canning by boiling them for just a few minutes and slipping off the skins
- Order spring bulbs to force indoors
Zone 4
- Lift, divide and transplant perennials
- Order peonies for fall planting
- Divide and transplant bearded iris
- Start moving houseplants and other tender plants indoors to acclimatize
- Enjoy a case of the late summer “blues” with a palette of aconitum, caryopteris, fall asters and reblooming iris in your planting schemes
- Blanch tomatoes for freezing and canning by boiling them for just a few minutes and slipping off the skins
- Plant fall-blooming crocus and colchicum for late-season flowering
- Prepare beds for planting bulbs and divide any existing bulbs that might be overcrowded
- Build up weather resistance of trees and shrubs with deep waterings now throughout the fall
- Look forward to something different next spring: try alliums in your bulb garden
Zone 5
- Sow seeds of fall vegetables
- Order peonies for fall planting
- Divide and transplant bearded iris
- Plan perennial beds for fall and winter color with ornamental grasses, fall-blooming bulbs and hardy heaths and heathers
- Harvest vegetables continuously to stretch their season
- Sprinkle compost starter to speed up composting for fall soil building
- Prune summer-blooming shrubs (hydrangea, clethra, caryopteris) after flowers finish
- Plant garlic now for spring harvests
- Look forward to something different next spring: try alliums in your bulb garden
- Enjoy a case of the late summer “blues” with a palette of hardy ageratum, caryopteris, fall asters and reblooming iris in your planting schemes
Zone 6
- Sow seeds of fall veggies and annuals
- Plan perennial beds for fall and winter color with ornamental grasses, fall-blooming bulbs and hardy heaths and heathers
- Divide and transplant bearded iris
- Harvest vegetables continuously to stretch their season
- Sprinkle compost starter to speed up composting for fall soil building
- Prune summer-blooming shrubs (hydrangea, clethra, caryopteris) after flowers finish
- Plant garlic now for spring harvests
- Look forward to something different next spring: try alliums in your bulb garden
- Sow seeds of cool-weather herbs (chives, parsley)
- Enjoy a case of the late summer “blues” with a palette of hardy ageratum, caryopteris, fall asters and reblooming iris in your planting schemes
Zone 7
- Harvest vegetables continuously to stretch their season
- Sprinkle compost starter to speed up composting for fall soil building
- Prune summer-blooming shrubs (hydrangea, clethra, caryopteris) after flowers finish
- Plant garlic now for spring harvests
- Dig gently to harvest potatoes a few plants at a time
- Look forward to something different next spring: try alliums in your bulb garden
- Sow seeds of cool-weather herbs (chives, parsley, garlic chives, cilantro and dill)
- Plan perennial beds for fall and winter color with ornamental grasses, fall-blooming bulbs and hardy heaths and heathers
- Enjoy fall fragrance by planting autumn clematis (Clematis paniculata), flowering tobacco and annual stock
- Keep cool during summer’s dog days with a shade garden embroidered with hostas and hardy ferns
- Color up your bulb garden with fall bloomers (lycoris, fall crocus, colchicum)
Zone 8
- Color up your bulb garden with fall bloomers (lycoris, fall crocus, colchicum)
- Prepare rose beds for fall planting
- Pick vegetables early in the day while they’re crisp
- Plant out vegetable seedlings and sow seed for fall harvests
- Leach out alkaline buildup in the soil with deep waterings and applications of acid plant food
- Dig gently to harvest potatoes, a few plants at a time
- Sow seeds of cool-weather herbs (chives, parsley, garlic chives, cilantro and dill)
- Enjoy fall fragrance by planting autumn clematis (Clematis paniculata), flowering tobacco and annual stock
- Order and refrigerate bulbs that require a winter chill (tulips, crocus, hyacinths)
- Keep cool during summer’s dog days with a shade garden embroidered with hostas and hardy ferns
Zone 9
- Sow seeds of cool-weather herbs (chives, parsley, garlic chives, cilantro and dill)
- Prepare rose beds for fall planting of containerized roses
- Order sweet pea seedlings now for winter bouquets
- Pick vegetables early in the day while they’re crisp
- Plant out vegetable seedlings and sow seed for fall harvests
- Leach out alkaline buildup in the soil with deep waterings and applications of acid plant food
- Enjoy fall fragrance by planting autumn clematis (Clematis paniculata), flowering tobacco and annual stock
- Order and refrigerate bulbs that require a winter chill (tulips, crocus, hyacinths)
- Spray plants with the hose to knock off late-summer pests such as spider mite and whitefly
- Stock up on seed for winter annuals and new perennials
Zone 10
- Prepare rose beds for fall planting of containerized roses
- Order sweet pea seedlings now for winter bouquets
- Plant out vegetable seedlings and sow seed for fall harvests
- Leach out alkaline buildup in the soil with deep waterings and applications of acid plant food
- Spray plants with the hose to knock off late-summer pests such as spider mite and whitefly
- Stock up on seed for winter annuals and new perennials
- Trim and fertilize hanging basket plants to give them a second lease on life
- Order and refrigerate bulbs that require a winter chill (tulips, crocus, hyacinths)
Zone 11
- Prepare rose beds for fall planting of containerized roses
- Order sweet pea seedlings for winter bouquets
- Plant out vegetable seedlings and sow seed for fall harvests
- Purchase and refrigerate bulbs that require a winter chill (tulips, crocus, hyacinths)
- Leach out alkaline buildup in the soil with deep waterings and applications of acid plant food
- Spray plants with the hose to knock off late-summer pests such as spider mite and whitefly
- Sow seeds of cool-weather herbs (chives, parsley, garlic chives, cilantro and dill)
- Prevent chlorosis in citrus trees with three feedings a year
- Trim and fertilize hanging basket plants to give them a second lease on life
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