It’s a big month for our gardens. Stay on top of everything with this to-do (and don’t) list from SJ Mag’s Toni Farmer. 

Don’t over water. With this excessive heat, your first instinct might be to let the hose go for extra time every day, but that’s not always the solution. Make sure you’re checking your plants to see how much water they need. If your plant is wilting during the day, but perks back up in the evening when temps cool, it’s getting enough water. If it doesn’t perk back up, that means it needs more. 

Continue succession planting. 

If you’ve grown tomatoes, now is the time to tie them up to the cage. Also, make sure you’re keeping an eye out for blight and cutting off any extra leaves to prevent mildew. 

Get rid of those weeds. You’re not just weeding for aesthetics, weeds soak up so many nutrients from your soil – stealing them from plants that need it. 

Harvest seeds. Any plants that have bolted in the heat, let them be, instead of cutting them out, so you can harvest seeds for next season. 

Still keep an eye out for pests. 

If you find squash vine borers, you’ll have to dig them out with a kitchen knife.

Start your fall plants. Just like we did earlier this year, it’s time to plant any seeds that you want to grow this fall. Make sure you start them inside, because they’re not fans of the heat.