Gardening
Gardeners' calendar for August
By Dr. William M. Johnson, Galveston County Extension Agent - Horticulture
August 3, 2006

For most species of palms, the outline of the plant canopy should be about a 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock position. As a rule of thumb, only prune brown or half-brown fronds.
Photo credit: William M. Johnson
Upcoming Program
* Square Foot Gardening Seminar *
Saturday, Aug. 19
9 - 11 a.m.
Galveston County Extension Office, 5115 Highway 3, Dickinson
No fee but reservation required (281-534-3413, Ext. 6 or GALV3@wt.net).
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No need to remind you that August is the peak of the heat season in Galveston
County. The good news is that we have received ample rainfall over the last
few weeks in most areas of the county and temperatures have yet to break
the 100-degree mark thus far.
Plants in the landscape and garden will require attention if they are to remain
vigorous and provide us with many desirable benefits including color, shade,
beauty, etc. Working outside this month tends to be more tolerable during early
morning or late evening hours but some plants do need attention.
The gardeners' calendar of activities for August includes the following:
No room in your yard to grow tomatoes or cucumbers? Is your vegetable garden
taking up too much space? Then try a different approach.
Certified Master Gardener
John Jons will provide a seminar on Square Foot Gardening on Saturday, August
19, 2006 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the Galveston County Extension Office located
at 5115 Highway 3 in Dickinson. There is no registration fee but seating is
limited and reservations are required (281-534-3413, Ext. 6 or GALV3@wt.net).
Square Foot Gardening has been around for a long time and is a tried
and true method for intensive gardening in a small area. "This popular
award winning program teaches you a proven method on how to successfully
grow vegetables,
flowers or herbs in a four foot-by-four foot area," says John
Jons. "It’s
an ideal way of gardening for novice and experienced gardeners who
have a limited amount of space and/or time."
Looking for ideas on landscaping or what plants do well in the area?
A visit to our Horticulture Demonstration Garden located next to the County
Extension
Office (5115 highway 3, Dickinson) can provide ideas.
We have several plants
that have performed well in the summer heat. The water garden also
provides a refreshing spot to relax.The Horticulture Demonstration Garden
was constructed and is maintained
by the Master Gardener volunteers. You are welcome to visit during daylight
hours,
seven days a week.
The Gulf of Mexico has been relatively quiet thus far but we should be
on the alert for tropical storms and hurricanes as August and September can
be
rather active months in this regard. The high winds and driving rain accompanying
severe tropical weather conditions can be quite destructive.
This is a
good time to survey your landscape for weak limbs and overhanging branches
that
may cause damage in the event of violent weather. It is wise to consider
calling a professional for help with big jobs who have the know-how and
equipment to
avoid injury.
It is common practice to see folks pruning off all but a few of the upper
fronds of palms in hopes of reducing wind damage from severe tropical storms.
This practice is very harmful to the tree as most palms produce only a
few dozen leaves or less per year. The removal of even a few green fronds
can significantly
reduce a plantÕs capacity to produce energy or food needed for proper
growth and overall health.
Continued removal of green fronds over time will
often result in a condition known as pencil-pointing. This condition
is characterized by a marked
reduction in the diameter of the upper trunk and the overall trunk
takes on the shape
of a sharpened pencil.Most palms are native to the tropics and
have evolved modifications that enable them to successfully weather most
storms.
The open feather-like structure
of
their leaves allows wind to pass through them easily and their
trunks are strong but flexible allowing them to bend but not break.
Many spring-flowering shrubs form next year's flower buds in late July
and August. Our summer rainfall has been fairly ample thus far. However,
if weather
conditions during August revert to the dry side, low soil moisture can
reduce both the quantity and quality of spring flowers. This is true of azaleas,
camellias,
and other similar plants and even peaches, pears and others. Don't allow
them to suffer drought stress.
When extended periods of rainfall occur in the summer, a bright yellow
slimy blob is commonly seen on mulched flower beds. The slimy blob is a type
of slime
mold. It is not pretty (even if you like yellow) and it soon gets
uglier. The yellow blob turns gray, becomes hard, then breaks down into
a brown powder.
Slime molds may be ugly to some, but they are not harmful.
Mid to late August is a good time to cut back your repeat blooming roses.
Cut them back about 1/3 and fertilize them to improve their upcoming show
of fall blossoms. Spray with fungicides such as Funginex to protect foliage
from
blackspot and powdery mildew which can significantly stress bushes during
this time of the year.
- If you'll remove the faded blooms of the colorful crape myrtle, this
versatile plant will reward you with a second bloom. Flower buds are waiting
to come
forth if the gardener will simply prune out the old blooms.
This is also
an ideal time to select crape myrtle varieties for the landscape while
they are
in bloom for planting now or later this fall. This popular small flowering
tree is available in a number of exciting colors known by just as many
exciting names. For example, there is the pale pink "Near East" variety,
or the red "Dixie Brilliant," and the deep red "Fire Bird." The "New
Snow" variety is a white, and "Pink Lace" is a clear pink,
while "Twilight" is
a deep purple.
The sultry, sweaty days of August have arrived. So, carry an extra large glass
of iced tea or water and make sure to wear a hat for protection from the sun.
Dr. Johnson is a horticulturist with the Galveston County
Extension Office of Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A&M University.
Visit his web site at http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/index.htm
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