Pensacola News Journal

For: Saturday, August 21, 2004

By: Daniel E. Mullins

Extension Horticulture Agent

Santa Rosa County

Late Summer Gardening Tips

During late August even the most enthusiastic gardener is tempted to quit until cool weather arrives. Though it is wise to slow down and take a more methodical approach to outdoor jobs, there is plenty to do in the landscape and garden.

Vegetable gardeners can enjoy one more planting of selected warm season crops. Plant seeds of bush and pole beans, lima beans, cucumbers, southern peas, both summer and winter squash. If available, establish transplants of peppers and tomatoes. Be aware that the late planted summer vegetables are more prone to insect and disease pressure than the same crops planted in the spring. Good cultural practices, including pest control will be required in order to have a bountiful harvest.

This is also the beginning of the planting season for some of the cool season vegetables. Plant seeds of broccoli, cauliflower, collards, turnips, and multiplying onions. For a faster start, establish transplants of broccoli and cauliflower. Come September, about 20 other kinds of cool season or winter vegetables can be established.

Pests in lawns are now at their highest level. Check turfgrass weekly in order to head off problems before they become serious. High levels of chinch bugs are being found in St. Augustine grass. Though relatively easy to control once detected, these pests can literally kill areas of the lawn if not controlled. Fall webworm and sod webworms are also likely to show up in some lawns as fall approaches.

Various lawn diseases are also present at this time of year. Frequent summer showers, high humidity and warm temperatures provide ideal conditions for the development of fungal diseases such as gray leaf spot and brown patch. Avoid contributing to a favorable disease environment by watering too often. If unsure of the cause of a lawn disorder, get a diagnosis from your nursery, garden center, landscape professional or Extension Agent.

Flowering annual and perennial beds can be rejuvenated by deadheading, weeding and fertilizing. Deadheading is a term that means the removal of old, spent flowers including seed heads. As much as one-third of the total top portion of each plant can be pruned off at this time of year without concern. Remove weeds and lightly fertilize to replenish nutrients lost to plant use and hard summer rains.

The tropical and subtropical plants that have recently become so popular should receive special attention at this time of year. Begin conditioning them for winter by checking for pests and controlling scales, mealybugs and other insects as necessary. Apply fertilizer to maintain healthy plants, but don’t use high nitrogen containing fertilizers later than September. They will need some time to slow down and toughen up before the first freeze.

Question of the Week: I would like to grow some pumpkins for fall decoration. Is there still time to plant?

Answer: Pumpkin requires approximately 80 to 100 days for maturity from seed, depending upon variety. I do not recommend planting this late in the year. Pumpkin is a challenging crop to grow in the Gulf Coast region. Planting must be done during mid-July in order to have fruit by mid-October. Earlier planting is not recommended because the fruit would mature too early and would rot before the desired time of use.

Summer rains and high humidity during this season make pumpkin very susceptible to the fungal diseases. There are also high populations of squash vine borer to contend with. The few growers who are successful in growing pumpkins in our area tend to specialize, paying very close attention to controlling pests.

Some locally grown pumpkins should be available this fall. Since it is too late to invest in a crop this year, I suggest buying some from a farmer in your area.