August is here which means spring is just around the corner. The weather is warming up, the days are getting longer, and it’s the perfect time to get into the garden.
Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just discovering your green thumb there’s plenty to do in the garden. So, grab your gloves, your hat, and discover what to do in the garden this month with Nicholas and the team at Capalaba Produce.
What to do in the Flower Garden this August
If you are looking to add some colour to your garden to get you through until the beauty of spring then we recommend planting:
- Alyssum
- Cosmos
- Carnations
- Dianthus
- Marigolds
- Nasturtium
- Petunia
- Phlox
- Snapdragons
- Zinnia
These annuals are a sure-fire way to brighten up any space.
If you have any plants that have overwintered, now is the time to lift and divide them and clean up any older growth. Before replanting, be sure to rejuvenate the soil with organic compost. This will provide your plants with the base nutrients to thrive during the new season ahead. This is the perfect time to liquid-feed all your winter flowering plants. Which will reward you with a final display of lush blooms before spring arrives. Garden beds will be due for a top-up of compost and mulch and a final clean-up will be beneficial to make way for the new growth come spring.
Give Your Soil a Boost
Lime can be added to most of your garden this month, but more importantly to your vegetable garden. Lime changes the chemistry in your soil to make it less acidic by raising the pH level. While some plants love acidic soils, many prefer alkaline. Getting your pH balance correct based on your individual garden’s needs can be vital to the success of growth and output. Especially if you want your plants to not only grow but to thrive.
Come instore and grab a kit to test your soils pH. This will guide you to see if your garden could benefit from an addition of lime. Dolomite lime is rich in both calcium and magnesium. Garden Lime is rich in calcium and has a much lower magnesium content then dolomite. Be sure to check with one of our friendly team members to see which would best benefit your garden, if any, based on your garden’s current pH.
Avoid adding lime to acid-loving plants and vegies such as:
- Camellias
- Azaleas
- Daphnes
- Rhododendrons
- Grapes
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Tomatoes
- Capsicums
- Potatoes
At Capalaba Produce we stock a wide range of soil additives that will give your plants a boost coming into spring including gypsum, dolomite, palagonite and Garden Mate. We can help with the best advice for the best results in your garden.
Lawn Maintenance
August is a great month to prepare your ground for sowing a new lawn come spring. Start by removing any weeds, stones, roots, and any other debris. If you are starting fresh be sure to level the ground and aerate to maximise drainage.
Bindii
It’s time, do it now don’t wait. . .Those aren’t little carrots in your lawn, you know the ones that started appearing about 6 weeks ago, it’s Bindii!
The trick is to spray before the seeds harden. That’s when they will give you and your pets grief. We stock many solutions from 200ml to 20L for every type of grass.
Happy Gardening!
