w Deadleaf plants that bloom in early summer, as needed.
w Deadhead more and more—perennials such as ‘Moonbeam’ coreopsis
(Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’) may need shearing now for a second
bloom phase.
w Prune crowded or sprawling perennials to keep them in their space.
w Cut back any insect-ridden foliage, such as on columbine.
w Subshrubs that have gotten straggly may need hard pruning. Lavandula
that is in good condition can simply be deadheaded in July to promote
another flowering period in September.AUGUST
Perennial gardens often take a bit of rest during the month of August. It is a busy
month for cutting back “tired” plants that have finished blooming and dead-
leafing any scorched subjects.PlantinG
w Any planting during August should be done with caution. Keep plant-
ings moist and shaded.
w Bearded iris, Oriental poppies, and peonies can be divided now.
w Design beds and order plants for autumn planting.General Maintenance
w Weed.
w Don’t forget to water the spring-planted gardens. Established gardens
may also benefit from watering, as this is usually the key dry month.
w Aerating continues.
w Staking may be needed, particularly after storms.
w Do not apply fertilizer, so as to allow plants to harden better before
winter.
w Grasshoppers can be a problem this month.
PruninG
w Many plants require cutting back for aesthetics.
w Lots of deadleafing.
w Continue with deadheading.
w Prune plants to keep in desired space.
w Cut back finished, “tired” plants to make room for later bloomers.
w Asters and mums can be cut back by 4–6 in. to delay bloom, though at
the expense of floral abundance.
w Cut back any insect- or disease-plagued foliage.
w Do not cut back subshrubs after late August, so that they can harden for
the winter.
w Try cutting back short-lived species of genera such as Gaillardia and
Centranthus at the end of the month to stimulate vegetative growth.