5 Things to do in your August Garden

Gardening in Phoenix in August means we are so looking forward to that break in the heat so we can get to our fall gardening. So it’s also the perfect time to start prepping your garden for fall. Here are 5 essential things to do in your Phoenix garden in August to ensure a productive and beautiful fall season:

🌱 1. Start Fall Vegetable Seeds Indoors 

August is the time to start seeds for cool-season crops like:

• Broccoli

• Bok Choi

• Cilantro

• Parsley

• Sage

• Cabbage

• Cauliflower

• Kale

• Lettuce

• And many more………. 

Use seed trays to get a jump start on your fall plants. You’ll transplant these into the garden in late September or early October.

🌾 2. Prep Soil with Compost and Amendments

• Well-aged compost - I get mine in bulk from arizonawormfarm.com

• Worm castings and worms for the verma compost bins also I get this from  arizonawormfarm.com

• Mulch - this is a must on our desert gardens 

• Organic fertilizers (like bone meal or blood meal)

This boosts nutrients and improves water retention for fall crops.

🌼 3. Plan and Plant Fall Color

Pick out heat-tolerant fall flowers to start from seed or transplants:

• Marigolds

• Calendula

• Snapdragons (plant these toward late August)These will add color while attracting pollinators to your garden.

💧 4. Adjust Watering Schedule

As monsoon season winds down and days (slowly) get shorter, adjust your irrigation:

• Check emitters and timers - make sure all your watering system is in tip top shape 

• Water deeply but less frequently - this happens later in October 

  • We want to continue a good watering as our days are still warm to hot as we transition the plant starts to the garden  in mid september 

• Mulch beds to retain moisture and cool the soil

 5. Plan your garden 

• Draw a sketch of all your planting space 

• Inventory your seeds - do you need to order more ? 

• Plan out what you are going to plant and where 

  • This allows for spacing and succession planting plans