Gardening Chores for August

My summer garden is almost done.  Very few tomatoes are left and the herbs are needing harvest.
I was reading about August chores this morning in a few different garden books that I have around the house and thought I would share my findings:

This is the time for setting out cloves of garlic for an early harvest next summer.  I haven't tried planting garlic before, so will be a new one for me.

It is time to sow the fall garden can be sowed to produce beans, beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, rutabaga and squash.  Kale, mustard and turnips can be planted now and grown in intervals to lengthen the harvest season.   We will plan to do some beans, lettuce and kale.  I am not a big fan of Brussels sprouts.  It is one of the few vegetables that I do not care for.

Summer Gardening Quote

"Wisdom is often nearer when we stoop than when we soar."   Wordsworth's Insight

End of Summer Harvesting and Planning

Time to Harvest what’s left. 

Don’t let all that bounty go to waste; instead, make it last:

Herbs: Hang dry hardy herbs like lavender and rosemary, and freeze dry tender varieties like basil, parsley and chives. Place rinsed leaves in ice cube trays, cover with water and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to freezer bags. When cooking, add a cube or two to flavor dishes.

Berries: Use immediately in ice pops, or preserve them—try our fast, foolproof Freezer Jams. Or freeze them whole: Gently rinse, then drain. Once completely dry, arrange on a baking sheet, freeze overnight and transfer to a freezer bag.

Vegetables: Have an overabundance of cucumbers? Pickle them, along with carrots, onions and zucchini. It’s easy-as-can-be with our Quick Pickles technique! Or make and freeze loaves of Zucchini Bread, too, so you always have hostess gifts or housewarming presents on hand. 

Tips above from:  http://media.homemadesimple.com/ 

This is also a good time to think about Fall and Winter gardening.   We are purchasing a small greenhouse to cover our vegetable gardens this year.   

We are excited about this new Press Release!

 Thanks to PRWeb for a great job on this Press Release.  We have already been picked up by 108 media outlets including the LA Daily News and many more!
By: PRWeb

August 09, 2013 at 02:51 AM EDT

SimplyLoveGardening Launches Online Garden and Outdoor Living Store

Rick and Em, owners of SimplyLoveGardening, are pleased to announce the creation and launch of their new online store. Rick and Em's absolute passion is working in their yard and garden and have been doing so for decades. This experience with working outdoors has allowed them to select the perfect products for the merchandise available at SimplyLoveGardening.com.

Rick and Em love to go to garden shows and nurseries in search of unique, top quality products that will beautify the yard, garden and outdoor living experience. SimplyLoveGardening carries a broad selection of products including yard décor, garden décor, planters, hammocks, garden tools and apparel, outdoor furniture, arbors, fountains, pergolas, and much more.

At SimplyLoveGardening, there's something for everyone--from the new home owners who need to purchase garden décor or patio furniture or to long time gardeners who are looking for the latest trends in creating beautiful landscapes. Rick says, "We have found the best quality merchandise for our customers at competitive prices. Whether you are a fan of lawn gnomes, have specific ideas for an outdoor room on your deck or patio, or are making arbors covered with greenery, we have what you need to design a unique outdoor experience."

SimplyLoveGardening's goal is to provide our customers with long-term value and product satisfaction with every purchase. They strive to be a customer oriented company that provides top quality customer support with every sale. Rick says, "We look for new and innovative products that are just coming to market. We currently offer a full line of 'Alternative Gardening' products such as easily assembled raised bed gardens to alternative Vertical Tube Planters. Living around a great Artisan Community in Western NC, we also want to bring unique, one of kind yard and garden art to our customers."

Rick and Em encourage their customers to make the most of nice weather this summer by enjoying time in their gardens and yards with the products offered on their website. They have both Single Hammocks and Double Hammocks made out of durable, weather proof material. Em says, "There's nothing more relaxing than lying on a hammock, reading your favorite book and swaying in the breeze! And if you get our double hammock, you can do that with your special someone!" SimplyLoveGardening also has a big selection of stylish Sun and Gardening Hats in an array of colors and sizes that will protect you and your family from the harsh summer sun.

In the future, Rick and Em intend to add even more products to the stock of SimplyLoveGardening such as Patio Umbrellas with Stands and Outdoor Furniture Cushions. By periodically updating the merchandise available in the online store, Rick and Em want to encourage customers to keep coming back to the site to see what new products have been added.

To complement the main website, Rick and Em have also launched a blog located at http://simplylovegardening.blogspot.com/. The blog features articles such as "Hot Trends for Gardening for Summer 2013," and "Two organic additives for your garden that are FREE!!" 

As "Baby Boomers", Rick an Em are just a few years out from retirement from their full time careers. It is their hope that SimplyLoveGardening will supplement their income into their retirement years and afford them the ability to enjoy vacationing in as many of the beautiful sites around the US and beyond. Rick and Em feel that owning an ecommerce business tied directly to their love of gardening will be critical to their success.

For more information or to shop online, visit the new store at http://www.simplylovegardening.com. 

You can also find SimplyLoveGardening on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Simply-Love-Gardening/471498106220438. 

1-877-839-6339.

 For the Month of August, SimplyLoveGardening.com will off a 10% discount on your entire purchase. Just enter the Discount code "August2013" when you check out!

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/8/prweb11012941.htm

Planning What to do With Your Dahlia's at End of Summer?

WHAT TO DO AT THE END OF THE SEASON

Dahlias are perennials and are not winter hardy. In nature the tops die back in the winter and growth the following spring comes from new buds formed on the roots. The same process will occur in your garden as the days begin to shorten and the temperatures drop in the fall. This cycle repeats indefinitely if the plants have good drainage and are not disturbed. 

You have two choices when it comes to over-wintering your dahlias. Leave them in the ground or you can dig them out. We recommend leaving your dahlias where you planted them and enjoying them for a few seasons before digging them. If your soil is well drained and does not freeze solid you can manage them so they will return each spring for 3-4 or more years. Digging dahlias is laborious. It involves washing, dividing, labeling, storage, and replanting, often during the wettest and coldest months of the year. 

Either way, to ensure your plants enter the dormant period in the best condition, withhold fertilizer the last 30 days before anticipated freeze or allow them to slowly decline in the fall to avoid lush growth at the end of the season. This promotes sound roots that will over-winter in the soil or the storage container in the best possible condition. 




Good Advice reprinted from http://cgdahlias.com