What to do in August

Tips
Chinch bugs
Chinch bug damage is beginning to appear in area lawns. Dry lawns are always more vulnerable to these bugs. Organic maintenance and regular deep watering of your lawn will help to prevent Chinch Bugs from ever becoming a problem. If you do see brown spots appear in your grass (which, at this time of year, are less likely to be due to Brown Patch, and more likely to be the result of Chinch Bug damage), you can perform a simple test to identify the culprits. Take a coffee can with the top and bottom removed and sink it into the green edge of the brown patch (not the center). Fill it with water and, if present, some Chinch Bugs should float to the surface. Try this in several different parts of the affected area to be sure of the result. These bugs are 1/16th to 1/5th of an inch long, with dark bodies and light wings.

There are several products you can use to control Chinch Bugs. Diatomaceous Earth is a great first choice for treatment. You can also use Safer Brand Yard and Garden Spray (Pyrethrin-based insecticidal soap), Diatect V (a mix of Diatomaceous Earth and Pyrethrin), or use diluted Erath Earth Compost Tea (a mix of Compost Tea, Molasses, and Citrus Oil) as a soil drench. Top-dressing your lawn with compost this fall will also contribute to the overall health of the soil and lawn, thus helping to prevent problems with Chinch Bugs. Look for our "Organic Lawn Care Guide" in the store for more ideas to properly care for your lawn.

Mealybugs
Mealybugs show up on the stems and leaves of plants as odd, fluffy, white "fuzz" with little fluffy, white critters in the center. Not only is the infestation unsightly, but it can cause significant damage to your plants. Often, they can be blasted away with strong spray of water from the hose. The Bug Blaster, a nozzle for use with your watering wand, is specifically designed for this task. A soap spray (2 to 4 teaspoons of a biodegradable soap, such as Ivory liquid to one gallon of water) will also help to control most soft-bodied insects. A very serious infestation can be controlled with an insecticidal soap spray with pyrethrin, like Safer brand Yard and Garden Spray. (Before spraying,look first to see if beneficial insects are already there trying to do the job.) Good plant care and a weekly foliar feed with Maxicrop Liquefied Seaweed will help plants resist these infestations.

Checklists

We are still in our least productive season for planting landscape plants here in Central Texas. It is still a good idea to let the landscape rest, and make the best of the heat while you plan for the fall gardening season. The exception is the vegetable garden, where it is your last chance to plant certain veggie seeds and plants.

Plant vegetable seeds. Beans, corn, cucumber, garlic, potatoes, shallot, summer squash
EARLY AUGUST: Okra, black-eyed peas, New Zealand and Malabar spinach, winter squash

Plant vegetable seeds in pots or flats. Keep these "cool." Give them bright sun, but perhaps some shade from the hottest afternoon sun, or an "awning" made of 30% shade cloth. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, chard, Chinese cabbage, fennel, kale
EARLY AUGUST: Rutabaga
LATE AUGUST: Collards, endive, head and leaf lettuce, mustard

Plant vegetable plants. Okra, New Zealand or Malabar spinach, summer or winter squash

Plant herb plants. Mexican mint marigold, mints, oregano, rosemary, sage, wormwood (artemesia)

Plant annual flower/ornamental plants. Blue daze, celosias (cockscomb or plume), zinnia

Plant perennial plants. Ornamental grasses, sedum

Water deeply. Concentrate on trees, newly planted and established ones. Anytime we go for four to six weeks without at least an inch of rain, established trees need water. Trees less than two years in the ground need water every one to two weeks, depending on the soil, weather, and species of tree. Place a bubbler, a small sprinkler, or a soaker hose at the dripline of the tree (the area on the ground - a circle - corresponding to the furthest reaches of the branches above), and water for 30 - 60 minutes or more with a low flow of water.

You will need to adjust your watering schedule depending on your soil and weather conditions. Rocky, Hill Country soil will dry out much faster than clayey Blackland Prairie soil. Your finger is your best moisture meter: dig down as deeply as you can to feel the soil around the roots before watering. If you find that water runs off of the soil easily, and doesn't percolate well, use Medina Soil Activator, or Lady Bug Terra Tonic (which contains Soil Activator). These products help the soil to become more permeable, among other benefits. And don't forget the shrubs - they need attention, too.

Conserve water. Any time you water, use only sprinklers that spray the least amount of water into the air, where it is lost to evaporation. Water early in the morning or late in the evening for the same reason. In addition, the more water on the leaves, the greater the chances of fungal problems on the leaves. Even plain water on the leaves while the sun is out can also burn the leaves.

Consider investing in soaker hoses and/or a drip system. These watering systems put the water right where it's needed ­ in the soil and next to the plant ­ rather than wasting the water into the air. Of course, this saves on the water bill, too, and again - reduces the chances of diseases on the plants. While soaker hoses are easier to install in the garden or landscape, a well-designed drip system can last much longer. Ask us at The Natural Gardener for help with soaker hoses or a drip irrigation system.

Mulch, mulch, mulch! If you haven't done so already, be sure all bare soil is covered with mulch, or compost with mulch on top. Avoid putting mulch or compost onto plant stems. Use about three inches total wherever possible.

Continue spraying all plants with seaweed regularly. Seaweed, with all its trace elements and hormones, can do more to help plants survive the heat than anything else, besides water and mulch. Spray on and under the leaves, early morning or late evening.

Release Trichogramma wasps to reduce or prevent fall webworms in pecan trees. Trichogramma wasps are tiny predators which eat the webworm egg before it becomes a pest. (The wasp does not control the worms that have already formed webs. For these critters, spray Bacillus thuringensis (B.t.) on the leaves weekly). The fall webworm is often a problem in pecan trees starting around June in Central Texas, and having three to four generations a year. To prevent the webworm year-round, try releasing Trichogrammas in late April or early May, mid-June, and in early August. Because the population of webworms in August is often the most damaging, you may want to release three rounds of the wasps, two weeks apart, starting in early August.

From the www.naturalgardeneraustin.com Web site

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