1. Plan and Plant Cool-Weather Annuals and Perennials

August is the perfect time to start planning your fall garden. Take a close look at your garden beds—do some areas shine in spring and summer but lack color in the fall? Add vibrant fall-blooming plants to these spots.

If you’re starting from seeds, now is the time to sow cool-weather annuals like pansies, violas, and snapdragons. Not into seed planting? No problem! By late August, Meadows Farms will have a wide selection of garden mums, asters, ornamental cabbage and kale, and pansies (weather permitting). In the meantime, clear out weeds and trim overgrown plants to prepare your beds.

2. Prep for Cool-Season Vegetables

Begin your preparations now for a cool-season vegetable garden. Pull out failing or under-performing summer vegetables to make room for new additions. Your spring and summer vegetables take up a lot of your soil and can leave it depleted of valuable nutrients needed by your new fall crops.

Be sure to amend any soil with a fresh batch of rich compost such as Meadows Farms Compost Manure, Just Natural Garden Soil, or Black Kow Manure. A mixture of Espoma Biotone Starter Plus in the soil will help get roots established faster, leading to more productive crops.

3. Divide and Transplant Perennials

Dividing perennials such as iris, peonies, daylilies, and summer phlox is a great way to fill empty garden spaces without buying new plants. The division also encourages healthier root growth and more vigorous blooms in the future.

To divide perennials, gently lift the plant with a garden fork, remove excess soil, and split the root ball into two sections. Replant each section with Espoma Biotone Starter Plus for optimal root development, and water thoroughly.

4. Stay Ahead of Pests and Diseases

August brings its share of pests and diseases, so vigilance is key. As Japanese beetles disappear, their larvae (grubs) can damage your lawn. Apply grub control products like Bayer Advanced Season Long Grub Control or Milky Spore to protect your grass.

If you notice a black, sooty substance on your hollies or evergreens, it’s likely caused by pests like aphids or scale. Treat with an insecticide to clear the infestation, and the sooty mold will wash away over time.

Powdery mildew is another common August issue, appearing as a white powdery coating on leaves. Prevent mildew by pruning affected areas, clearing plant debris, and applying a fungicide.

5. Prepare Your Lawn for Fall

The heat of August can be tough on lawns. Keep mower blades set to remove no more than one-third of the grass height to minimize stress. For a head start on fall lawn care, consider aerating your lawn. Aeration improves drainage and allows water and nutrients to reach the roots more effectively.

You can rent lawn aeration equipment or hire Meadows Farms Ground Maintenance for professional aeration services.

Partner with Meadows Farms for Expert Gardening Help

With 15+ locations across Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C., Meadows Farms is your trusted neighborhood garden center. Our expert team is here to help with all your landscaping, lawn care, and gardening needs. Whether you’re planning a new project or tackling fall maintenance, visit us today and let us help bring your garden to life!

The post August Gardening Tasks for a Thriving Fall Garden appeared first on Meadows Farms Nurseries and Landscaping.

Flowering Vinca

Flowering vinca is one of the premier flowering bedding plants for sunny, hot areas. Vinca is drought-tolerant and can thrive in any soil provided that it is well-draining. Vince is also a low-maintenance plant, so they are perfect for the gardener who does not have a lot of time to spend in the garden. Vince comes in many shades of pinks, mauves, and whites and blooms abundantly throughout the summer.

Lantana

Lantana is a showy, drought-tolerant woody annual with clusters of beautiful flowers that come in mixed shades of yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple. They work well in borders or mass plantings, and their trailing habit makes them prime candidates for hanging baskets or your favorite patio container. Lantana loves the heat, so plant them in well-draining soil and keep them watered regularly during the hottest days.

Lavender

If the soothing fragrance isn’t enough to convince you of the value of lavender in the landscape, perhaps its ease of maintenance will. Hardy perennial lavender is easy to grow and thrives in high heat conditions provided you plant it in well-draining soil. Because of the scent, lavender is also quite pest-resistant, and its blooms are a perfect attraction for pollinators like honey bees and butterflies.

Tropical Hibiscus & Mandevilla

Transform your patio into an oasis of color by adding pots of blooming tropical annuals like Hibiscus or Mandevilla vines. Fill a few ceramic pots with several of these blooming beauties and your patio will become an outdoor living room. These tropicals love the hot sun, but make sure they get ample water to keep them looking their best. We carry each in an array of colors which will provide an incredible show from now until the cold nights of October.

Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses are available in a wide array of colors, shapes, textures, and sizes. The flowers and subsequent seed heads are equally diverse, ranging from “ho-hum” to genuinely spectacular. Most ornamental grasses thrive in the hot, full sun. Many varieties are quite drought-tolerant, though a few can handle wet areas as well. Their adaptability and subtle beauty make them perfect companions to flowering plants and other woody ornamentals.

Coneflowers

Coneflowers are a native perennial to North America and have been a staple plant dating as far back as the Native Americans. However, it wasn’t until recently that coneflowers have been making a resurgence in home gardens. Once only pale pink, coneflowers are now available in a multitude of different varieties that provide a summer season’s worth of color year after year. They are also great plants to attract pollinators. Bees, butterflies, and birds love hanging around the large blooms.

Elephant Ears

Native to the warm and humid climate of tropical Southeast Asia, elephant ears are a showstopper in the garden. Varieties of elephant ears can reach anywhere from 6 to 10 feet in height, with massive sized leaves that give them their name. While Elephant Ears enjoy the hot and humid weather from our summers, they don’t enjoy direct sunlight. A shaded area or one that contains filtered sunlight is an ideal place to plant them.

SunPatiens

Have you ever wanted the elegant beauty of flowering impatiens or New Guinea impatiens, but the sun in your garden makes it impossible? SunPatiens are for you! SunPatiens have the same look of classic New Guinea impatiens but are grown with stronger foliage and thicker bloom petals to withstand high heat, sun, and disease. They make a great addition to any summer flower bed.

Find the Perfect Heat-Loving Plants at Meadows Farms

Don’t let the summer heat take a toll on your garden! Stop by your local Meadows Farms nursery today to explore our selection of vibrant, heat-tolerant plants. Whether you’re looking for stunning flowers, hardy perennials, or bold tropicals, we have everything you need to keep your landscape thriving all season long. Visit us now and bring home the best plants for summer success!

The post Heat-Tolerant Plants That Thrive in Virginia Summers appeared first on Meadows Farms Nurseries and Landscaping.

1. Water in the early morning

This is the best time to water because lower temperatures mean less evaporation. It is usually calm in the morning so water covers the lawn without blowing around. Watering in the morning allows your grass to dry out during the day which helps prevent fungus developing in your lawn. Automatic irrigation systems are the most convenient way to water but hoses and lawn sprinklers will do the job just fine.

2. For newly seeded lawns

It is important to keep the young grass plants well watered throughout the first summer. This allows the grass to send roots deep into the soil where water evaporates more slowly.

3. After fertilizing lawns

It is important to add some extra water which allows the fertilizer to release into the grass. It will also help prevent a “burning” effect from the nitrogen in the fertilizer.

4. Water heavily a day before mowing

By watering ahead of mowing it helps to reduce the browning on the tops of the blades of grass and helps your lawn recover quicker.

Using these tips you should be able to barefoot on your lush green lawn all summer!

Let Our Lawn Care Experts Help

Meadows Farms specializes in lawn care offering weekly mowing, edging, and trimming to residents in the D.C. metro area. We also handle aeration, over-seeding, slit-seeding, top dressing, pest control and more. Learn more about our lawn care services.

The post 4 Tips for Summertime Lawn Watering in Virginia appeared first on Meadows Farms Nurseries and Landscaping.

Dahlias

First on the pest-resistant list are Dahlias. They have something to please almost everyone, from 12” tall varieties just perfect for containers to 5 foot tall varieties with flowers as big as dinner plates. They come in a wide range of colors from white to burgundy-black with every shade of red, yellow and pink in between and, once they begin blooming will continue to provide color into the fall.

Gladiolus & Calla Lillies

Next, look for gladiolus. Glads are bright, sun-loving, and colorful—and excellent long-lasting cut flowers. Other good pest-resistant flowers for cutting are freesias, dramatic and elegant calla lilies, fragrant tuberoses, and exotic Peruvian daffodils.

Begonias

For shade (and still deer-resistant), there are begonias, which will provide blooms well into the fall. Caladiums, with their brightly colored leaves, will live happily right alongside those begonias, while Elephant Ears will provide sheer drama in the background with their giant leaves and 6 foot height.

Visit Our Plant Nurseries

With 17 locations across Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C., we’re your trusted neighborhood plant nursery.  Stop by today and let us help you create a stunning summer!

The post Our Favorite Summer Blooming Bulbs for a Vibrant Virginia Garden appeared first on Meadows Farms Nurseries and Landscaping.

1. Water in the early morning. This is the time to water because lower temperatures mean less evaporation. It usually is calm in the morning so water covers the lawn without blowing around. Watering in the morning allows your grass to dry out during the day which helps prevent fungus developing in your lawn. Automatic irrigation systems are the most convenient way to water but hoses and lawn sprinklers will do the job just fine.
2.  For newly seeded lawns it is important to keep the young grass plants well watered throughout the first summer. This allows the grass to send roots deep into the soil where water evaporates more slowly.
3. After fertilizing lawns it is important to use some extra water which allows the fertilizer to release into the grass. It will also help prevent a “burning” effect from the nitrogen in the fertilizer.
4. Watering heavily a day before mowing helps to reduce the browning on the tops of the blades of grass and helps your lawn recover quicker. Make sure your mower blades are sharp.

Using these tips you should be able to barefoot on your lush green lawn all summer.

Watering Trees & Shrubs

For established plantings watering is usually not required in our region unless there is a severe drought.

For newly planted trees and shrubs the first summer is critical for long term success. Be sure to water deeply using a slow soaking method to prevent runoff. Treegators and soaker hoses are good methods of deep irrigation. Typically one or two deep waterings per week will be sufficient. Know the water requirements for the variety of plants you have. Some plants like dry. Most plants to not like to stand in water for long periods.

The post Summertime Watering Tips appeared first on Meadows Farms Nurseries and Landscaping.