Here’s a gardener’s to-do list for August, 2025, by U.S. region

 Here’s a gardener’s to-do list for August, 2025, by U.S. region—when the heat is high, harvests are rolling in, and a season’s fatigue starts to show. It’s a month of maintenance, planning, and squeezing the last joy from summer before fall creeps in on golden feet.

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Northeast

• 🥕 Plant Fall Crops: Direct sow beets, carrots, kale, lettuce, spinach, and radishes.

• 💧 Water Deeply: Weekly soaking is better than frequent shallow watering.

• 🌻 Deadhead: Keep flowers blooming—cut back tired annuals and perennials.

• 🪓 Divide: Now’s a good time to divide irises and daylilies after flowering.

• 🍅 Harvest: Tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, beans—pick often to encourage more.

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Midwest

• 🥬 Sow Fall Veggies: Leafy greens, turnips, and peas can still be planted.

• 🌼 Tidy Beds: Cut back spent blooms, especially on coneflowers and black-eyed Susans.

• 🌿 Weed Aggressively: Don’t let weeds go to seed this late in the game.

• 🌧️ Check for Blight: Watch tomatoes and squash for signs of disease.

• 🧄 Plan Ahead: Order garlic for fall planting.

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Southeast

• 🥒 Late Crops: Sow beans, squash, cucumbers for a final summer harvest.

• 🥬 Start Fall Garden: Begin seeds indoors or in shaded beds for broccoli, cabbage, and collards.

• 🐞 Scout for Pests: Aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, and armyworms are active—act fast.

• 🧹 Prune Lightly: Trim back leggy annuals and deadhead flowers.

• 🌾 Mulch: Reapply mulch to retain moisture and cool roots.

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Southwest

• ☀️ Water Wisely: Water deeply in early morning; mulch to prevent evaporation.

• 🥦 Start Cool Crops: Begin fall garden planning—start broccoli, cauliflower, and chard indoors.

• 🌼 Deadhead Flowers: Encourage another flush of bloom.

• 🌾 Weed Control: Dry weeds go to seed fast—remove before they spread.

• 🪣 Compost: Keep turning; summer heat accelerates decomposition.

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Pacific Northwest

• 🥕 Plant for Fall: Beets, spinach, lettuce, and peas can still go in.

• 🌧️ Watch for Powdery Mildew: Especially on squash and cucumbers—remove infected leaves.

• 🌿 Harvest Herbs: Dry or freeze basil, thyme, oregano, and parsley.

• 🧄 Order Fall Bulbs: Tulips, garlic, daffodils—get ready for September planting.

• 🍅 Stake Tomatoes: Heavy fruit needs support this time of year.

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Mountain West

• 🥬 Fall Crops: Direct sow spinach, kale, lettuce, and radishes.

• 🌻 Harvest Daily: Zucchini and cucumbers can get oversized fast.

• 🧤 Protect From Heat: Shade cloth can help young fall crops survive hot days.

• 🌸 Deadhead Perennials: Encourage rebloom on echinacea, salvia, and more.

• 🧪 Check Soil Moisture: Especially for containers and raised beds.

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California

• 🥗 Plant for Fall: Start brassicas and leafy greens from seed.

• ☀️ Irrigate Smart: Use drip irrigation or early morning watering to conserve.

• 🐜 Control Pests: Watch for whiteflies, spider mites, and scale insects.

• 🌸 Late Summer Color: Plant zinnias, cosmos, and sunflowers for continued bloom.

• 🪓 Prune Lightly: Cut back leggy herbs and annuals; remove dead foliage.

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August is a balancing act—between heat and harvest, hustle and rest. The wise gardener tends with purpose, plans with vision, and lets the sweat of August sow the beauty of fall.

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