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What to do in your North Texas garden in late August:
- Plant late-season annuals for fall blooms like mums, asters, marigolds,
zinnias (transplants), and ornamental peppers for color through fall. The “Profusion” line ofzinnias are particularly happy this time of year. - After August 25, direct-sow cabbage, collard greens, lettuce, kale, radish, spinach and turnips. Set out transplants of broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. (Wait until September for beets, carrots, and parsnips.) For a complete North Texas fall planting schedule, go here.
- Turn the compost pile and give it some water if it hasn’t rained in a while.
- Fertilize your succulents, cactus, and agave. They are actively growing right now, and will appreciate the added nutrition. I use Bio Blast on my cacti and succulents.
- Treat spidermites with Neem oil (every 3-5 days until infestation subsides), and prevent flea beetles with dustings of
diatomaceous earth . Both insects love to feast on tomatoes this time of year. Flea beetles are especially fond of eggplant. - Speaking of tomatoes, don’t forget to fertilize your fall tomatoes that were planted in July.
Shade cloth this time of year is also a good idea.
Founder of The Dallas Garden School, Callie is an expert garden educator with 17 years of personal and professional gardening experience. She specializes in growing food, small-space gardening, managing community gardens, and plant propagation. She has an MBA from Southern Methodist University, a bachelor's degree from Skidmore College, and served as a horticulture intern for the Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens. Callie is a member of the Native Plant Society of Texas, The Herb Society of America, the National Garden Bureau, and is a Certified Texas Master Gardener.
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