Rick Durham, Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist, University of Kentucky
 

Water now for flowers and fruit later.

Do you want great strawberries and beautiful flowering shrubs next spring? One secret is in late summer watering. Most plants that flower next spring are growing their flower buds in August and September of this year. So to get the best show from flowering trees and shrubs next spring, be sure the plants have adequate water during August and September. That means one inch of water per week from either natural rainfall or supplemental irrigation. A one inch rain or irrigation will wet the soil about 6 to 8 inches deep.

Trees and shrubs are not the only plants so affected. Consider your strawberry patch. The size of strawberry buds, and also the size of next years fruit, is determined by growth during August and September. Too little water will reduce fruit size and number. As with woody plants, about one inch of water per week is needed for best growth and flower bud development. An application of fertilizer during August will also help ensure quality fruit next spring.
 

Hot weather delays vegetable production.

Is your garden slowing down. Have your snap beans stopped producing new beans? Many types of vegetables will not produce when the weather gets too hot. The flowers of beans, tomatoes, and peppers are particularly sensitive to hot weather. Temperatures above 90 degrees will cause the flowers to fail and prevent the formation of the next crop.

In Kentucky we are blessed with the fact that our summer temperatures are usually quite moderate and fluctuate. Sure we can have temperatures well into the 90's, but we also have some periods where the high temperatures are in the 80's. This means that we generally get good production from vegetables throughout the summer. Applying straw or shredded newspaper as a mulch around vegetables will help to lower soil and air temperatures. However, don't be surprised if production from your garden begins to decline during extended periods of hot weather. Production may rebound as the temperatures drop.

So if your garden appears to be suffering this summer, don't only pray for rain, but pray for a little cooler weather to go with it. Even non-gardeners will thank you.
 

Keep harvested vegetables cool to preserve quality.

Fresh vegetables usually abound in July and August. Whether you pick them from your own garden, or buy them from a local farmer's market or roadside stand, be sure to enjoy some fresh Kentucky produce this summer. Here are some tips if you have your own garden and want the freshest produce possible.

Once vegetables are picked, they do not increase in quality. One way to maintain quality is to keep the produce cool. The conversion of sugar to starch tends to be favored by warm temperatures.  So pick produce in the cool of the morning and refrigerate as soon as possible. If immediate refrigeration is not possible, move produce to the shade or cover with a damp cloth. As water evaporates from the cloth it will cool the vegetables beneath. The damp cloth will also increase the relative humidity around the vegetables and decrease the chance of wilting.
 

Moving annuals indoors for continued color.

Many annual plants growing in the landscape can be successfully moved indoors once the weather turns cooler. Their flowers and/or foliage may be enjoyed for several more weeks in a bright light. Plants such as begonia, coleus, and geranium, will continue to provide interest indoors if given the right environment.

Start preparing plants for their move in early August by root pruning them. To do this, consider the pot size you will be using for the plants indoors. Using a large kitchen knife, cut into the soil to a depth of six inches and a diameter around the base of the plant that is slightly less than the diameter of the pot. This will encourage new root growth in the area that can be accommodated by the pot. As the weather turns cooler and night temperatures start to drop into the lower 50s, again cut around the plant with the knife, but cut such that the root ball will fill the chosen container. Lift and pot the plant. Provide as much light as possible indoors, supplemental lighting with fluorescent tubes may allow flowering well into the winter. Keep plants well watered but allow them to dry slightly between waterings. Also consider where these plants will be placed. Flowering plants may become a nuisance as they drop spent blossoms.
 

Crops for the fall vegetable garden.

The first of August is not too late to make a last planting of vegetables. The cooler nights experienced later in the year as these vegetables mature may increase the sugar content of many crops and thus increase their quality. Late July or early August would be the time to make a last planting of bush beans, carrots, sweet corn, kale, collards, Bibb lettuce, turnips, and cole crops such as kohlrabi, Chinese cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli. For late August and into September try planting mustard greens, spinach greens, radishes, turnip greens, and leaf lettuce. Before planting, remove any existing debris including crops and weeds to the compost bin and cultivate the soil. If the previous crop was well fertilized and grew vigorously you may need to add little if any additional fertilizer, otherwise apply about 2-3 pounds of a complete fertilizer such as 5-10-10 or 6-12-12 per 100 square feet of planting area. Remember to keep fall gardens well watered as this tends to be a fairly dry time in Kentucky. A weekly irrigation sufficient to wet the soil to 6 or 8 inches should be adequate. This is more or less equivalent to a weekly one-inch rain.