Withering Days

August 2016

Pickaway to Garden

By Paul J. Hang

Withering Days

A line from a 1943 song, Speak Low, reflects my sentiments exactly, “Our summer day withers away too soon, too soon.” August is the height of summer; there are more plants that have gone to seed than there are plants in flower. Even though the summer is only half over, I get the sense that the game is over. Things seem to be winding down. There is evidence of leaves and flowers withering. August usually brings one of those cool days when I get the feeling that autumn is just around the corner. By the end of the first week of August we will be at mid-summer, half way between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox. By mid-month summer is waning. I find it hard to believe, and a little sad, that the bird migration is in full swing in August. For some species it began back in July. Is it really true that we are just six weeks past the first day of astronomical summer? Then, why are they leaving?

It seems like just a few days ago we were reveling in the rebirth of spring and the lengthening of days. We were just anticipating the setting out of plants and the planting of seeds. Now, we have already pulled out lettuce, radishes, beets, garlic and the spent broccoli plants. Why do these warm seasons pass so quickly and the colder ones so slowly? Could the planet be rotating more quickly, accelerating the circling of the sun? It seems we no sooner start a season than we are bidding it goodbye. The mood is conflicted, contradictory and confused.

What brings on these withering comments, these feelings of melancholy? Perhaps it is because the season grows older and I know I grow older. Although this is true, this time of year also seems like true summer. All about things are ripening, seeds, nuts, berries. Apples are reddening, acorns are fattening. Tomatoes are ready to burst and corn is abundant, delicious, the kernels fat and fattening. The evening chorus of cicadas, katydids and crickets can still be heard and enjoyed. The passing of this season is both sweet and sad. Days are getting shorter but not yet at an alarming rate. There is still time to get in more swimming, fishing, golfing, barbequing, boating, and yes, gardening before school or the weather brings these things to an end. Remember, It is still summer. Enjoy it. Autumn will be here soon enough.

Need gardening advice? Call the Gardening Helpline at the OSU Extension Office 474-7534. Other resources are ohioline.osu.edu and, to read a weekly discussion of problems facing those of us who “grow things” check out bygl.osu.edu. Buckeye Yard and Garden Line (bygl) is a real education. You learn, for instance, that problems you may be having with certain plants are also being experienced by others. Experts discuss what to do. It is updated weekly.

August is Tree Check month. Pay attention to your trees. They are valuable assets to your property and to our community. Most of our species are under threat from a myriad of diseases and foreign bugs. Another threat to what remains of our urban canopy is the topping of trees. Although many recommend it out of habit or just emulate their neighbors or buy the sales pitch of some would be pruner, topping is one of the worst things you can do to your trees. Fall is the best time to plant trees. Consider planting a shade tree. For advice on what trees to plant and where to plant them, go to arborday.org. To gain an appreciation of our oldest living things see treesintrouble.com

 

Things to do in the garden:

Weed. Weed. Weed and maybe water if we don’t get at least an inch of rain each week. Pull all that crabgrass before it goes to seed. Take heart though, the first good frost will kill it.

Plant the seeds of green beans, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage early in the month, carrots, lettuces, spinach, radishes, turnips, and kale mid-month, for a fall garden.

As plants die back clean up the debris so bad insects and disease don’t have a place to over- winter. This is particularly important for corn, beans, cucumbers and bush squash plants after they cease bearing, some landscape plants you may want to leave alone for seeds for wintering birds and for visual winter interest such as coneflowers and native ornamental grasses.

Want to have a new garden next year? Now is a good time to prepare the site. Cover the area with black plastic, thick cover of newspaper or cardboard weighted down or even old carpet. Anything that will block the sun will leave bare earth come spring. If you are in a hurry you can use an herbicide containing glyphosate.

Disbud your dahlias for bigger blooms and fertilize. Side dress (fertilize) peonies with a balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or 12-12-12.

By the end of the month consider disbudding your tomato plants. Remove the growing tips of each branch and pinch out all the blossoms that bloom. It takes six weeks from blossom to fruit. This practice will give bigger tomatoes and prevent all those marble size tomatoes that the frost gets and never reach the table. If you’re not sure about this, try it on some of your plants and compare to those that you leave alone. Experiment! Try this also with melons and winter squash.

It is time to plant biennials and order bulbs for fall planting for blooms next year.

This is a good time to look at plants at their full maturity. Assess their look, their height, their spread, their color and texture. Do you like where they are? If not, think about moving them as soon as they begin to go dormant. If they are annuals, make a note for next year to plant them in another spot in the garden. If all your perennials have stopped blooming plant some late blooming ones for next year such as black-eyed Susan, coreopsis, liatris and mallow.

Tomatoes not ripening? Be patient, the plants are still growing and putting down roots not just ripening the fruit that has already set. I have heard some good advice lately. Pick tomatoes before they are completely ripe. They will ripen off the vine if they still show a blush of green. Totally ripe tomatoes still on the vine can burst with a glut of water from rain or the hose. They can be sampled by birds and mammals. Follow this advice and you will enjoy better tomatoes, perhaps the best joy of the season.