Ask A Master Gardener
Common Sense Gardening with Phillip Williams, Master Gardener
August 2025
When August days are hot an’ dry,
I won’t sit by an’ sigh or die,
I’ll get my bottle (on the sly)
And go ahead, and fish, and lie …
Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)
Well, fellow gardeners, welcome to August! The common reaction at this point would normally be to curse the heat and humidity, but what an unexpected and utterly refreshing turn the weather has taken here in Augusta these past two weeks! Stepping outside has felt like stumbling into a different season entirely.
Instead of the typical late-July and early-August furnace blast – the relentless, suffocating heat and humidity that usually pins us down with highs firmly in the mid-90s – we’ve been greeted by mornings with a genuine crispness and afternoons where temperatures have consistently lingered in the comfortable low-to-mid 80s. It’s been nothing short of a gift, a delightful respite that has made outdoor activities actually pleasant and significantly lowered energy bills. This prolonged stretch of below-average temperatures is remarkable, defying our usual summer script and leaving many pleasantly bewildered as we stroll beneath skies that feel more like early October than the peak of deep South summer.
Looking ahead at the forecast for the next fortnight, it seems this pronounced cool spell is gradually giving way. While the immediate outlook doesn’t suggest an immediate plunge back into extreme, sweltering heat, temperatures are predicted to steadily climb closer to, and eventually slightly above, our seasonal norms. Expect daytime highs to consistently reach the upper 80s to near 90 degrees, with overnight lows becoming milder. Humidity levels will also likely creep back up, making it feel warmer. While it won’t instantly revert to the harshest heat, the signature August warmth is definitely reasserting itself, making those recent cool mornings feel like a cherished, fleeting anomaly. Enjoy the lingering mildness while it lasts!
We need to continue to prioritize deep and consistent watering. August heat and potential drought stresses plants immensely. Consistent moisture is vital for fruit development, preventing blossom drop, and keeping plants alive. We need to water deeply and less frequently (aim for 1-1.5 inches per week, including rain) to encourage deep roots. Water early in the morning to minimize evaporation and fungal diseases. Focus on vegetables, newly planted trees/shrubs, and container plants. Use soaker hoses or drip irrigation for efficiency. Don’t let plants wilt severely as there is a point when they don’t recover, no matter how much you water them.
Keep a sharp eye out for those accursed pests and diseases. Heat stresses plants, making them more susceptible to insects (squash bugs, stink bugs, spider mites, aphids, hornworms, grasshoppers), and diseases (powdery mildew, blights, fungal spots) can explode in August. Inspect your plants several times a week, especially the undersides of leaves. Hand-pick large pests. Use strong sprays of water for aphids/mites. Apply controls only as needed, following label instructions carefully (avoid spraying in peak heat). Remove severely diseased foliage to ensure good air circulation. Address blossom end rot on tomatoes/peppers with consistent watering and possibly a calcium supplement if soil tests indicate. (You did get a soil test didn’t you?) Stop by the new Richmond County Extension office at 501 Greene Street or the Columbia County office at 6420 Pollards Pond Rd, Appling.)
Weed relentlessly and refresh mulch! Weeds compete fiercely for precious water and nutrients during this stressful time. Existing mulch breaks down and thins out. Pull weeds when they are small and the soil is slightly moist (easier removal). Focus on areas around prized plants and vegetable beds. Refresh mulch around plants with 2-3 inches of organic material (shredded bark, straw, pine straw, compost). This is most helpful for conserving soil moisture, suppressing new weeds, and moderating soil temperature. Mulch is your friend in summer as in winter.
As odd as this may sound, now is the time to sow seeds outdoors and start transplants indoors for the fall garden. August is prime time to start your cool-season fall garden! Many crops need to be well established before the first frost, (typically around Nov. 15 in Zone 8a). The warm August soil will help insure good germination. You can direct sow: beans (bush/snap), cucumbers, summer squash, carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, Swiss chard, kale, collards, mustard greens, lettuce (shade helps), arugula, cilantro and dill. Indoors start the cool weather crops of Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, collards. Be sure to water these regularly, particularly after they germinate. Seedlings do not tolerate drought! If you allow them to wilt, they are probably going to be lost. By September these will be well started and ready for transplanting.
The Georgia Master Gardeners Association is holding its annual conference Oct. 17 and 18 at the Macon Marriott Hotel and they are inviting all gardeners to attend. (You can register as a “Friend”. They have a number of noted speakers including our local friend noted plantsman and horticulturist, Jenks Farmer. Additionally they have a couple of very interesting workshops as well as a huge silent auction and several horticultural vendors. Check out the event at https://www.georgiamastergardeners.org/
We would love to see you there.
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” – Audrey Hepburn
