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Woman holding a large crate filled with freshly harvested root vegetables in August, knowing what to plant in August

Vegetables

9 Root Vegetables You Should Start From Seed in August

This month marks the time for many gardeners to start fall crops, balancing the seeding with seasonal transitions and the first anticipated frost. As the summer harvest wanes, we can look forward to a fall bounty. Enjoy the easy sowing and growing of favorite root vegetables to start in August.

A close-up shot of a person's hand in the process of inspecting a ripe and round fruit, showcasing how to tell if melons are ready to harvest

Harvesting

How to Tell if Melons are Ready to Harvest

Melons are a labor of love, or at least patience, as we await their long development. With full, sweet rounds that ripen quickly in their final days, picking them at peak flavor takes gauging a few cues. Gardening expert Katherine Rowe outlines what to look for to make sure we catch melons at the right time for the sweetest, juiciest slices.

Streams of water irrigate tall flowering dahlias with large, rounded flowers of tightly packed, deep red, spoon-shaped petals, rising on upright, sturdy stems amid lush green foliage.

Flowers

7 Dahlia Watering Tips for Abundant Flowers

Dahlias have specific water needs that change throughout the season, and getting it wrong can mean fewer blooms or plant failure. Gardening expert Madison Moulton shares the watering secrets that keep dahlias thriving.

A lush hydrangea bush with large purple flower clusters showing small, slightly drying flowers and green leaves with brown, crispy edges from drought.

Shrubs

9 Tips to Keep Your Hydrangeas Happy During a Drought

Hydrangeas are standout flowering shrubs in the summer garden, offering one of the biggest bloom shows of the season. Durable, they perform across growing zones. But the moisture-loving ornamentals benefit from extra care during drought situations. Gardening expert Katheirne Rowe outlines how to protect hydrangeas during heat waves and dry spells for long-lived, healthy shrubs.

A female gardener holds a freshly picked bunch of orange carrots with lush, feathery green foliage showing how to avoid common summer gardening mistakes.

Gardening Tips

Don’t Make These 9 Late Summer Gardening Mistakes

Late summer is a time of balancing plant health while navigating fluctuating weather conditions. It’s also an opportunity to look toward fall and the bounty yet to come. For the best foundation for future growth, avoiding late-season gardening mistakes increases resiliency across seasonal conditions.

A gardener with black pruning shears prunes flowering dahlias with large red-burgundy pompon-shaped blooms on tall stems surrounded by lush green foliage.

Flowers

How To Prune Dahlias for More Blooms

Dahlias bring dramatic mid to late-season blooms that usher in fall with their lasting beauty. The long-developing buds, well worth the wait, are unrivaled in their form and symmetry. For more blooms throughout the season, simple dahlia pruning lets us double the display.

A shot of large fumes emerging from a large forest area, showcasing the effects on garden from wildfire smoke

Gardening Tips

Wildfire Smoke and Your Garden: Preventing Negative Impacts

Wildfire smoke is, unfortunately, inevitable. It occurs annually in regions prone to wildfires. Even states far from the fires experience effects, as the smoke travels long distances with the wind. Join seasoned grower Jerad Bryant to learn how to prevent negative impacts; see what to do when smoke damages your garden.

A close up shot of several freshly harvested August crops from a survival garden.

Edible

14 Survival Garden Crops You Should Plant in August

Planting survival crops in August is a wise decision. Especially if you're working on becoming more self-reliant and extending your growing season. Gardening expert Melissa Strauss shares crops that you can plant now for winter harvest and storage.