Drought-Tolerant Picks and Mulching Tips for a Tired August Garden

August tends to be the toughest month for a garden. The heat has been building since June, the rain has been unpredictable, and everything from tomatoes to azaleas is feeling it. A little mulch and the right plant choices go a long way right now. Here is what we would tell a neighbor asking how to get their garden through the rest of the month.

A two-to-three-inch layer of mulch around your plants holds moisture in the soil and keeps roots cooler. Refresh it now if it has thinned out since spring.

If you are filling in gaps this month, look for varieties bred to handle heat and short dry spells rather than fighting the weather all season.

Pots and raised beds dry out fastest in August heat. Check them daily and consider grouping containers together so they shade each other's soil.

If your garden is looking rough, come talk to us. We can help you figure out what is stress from the heat and what might be something else, and we will point you toward the right mulch or plants for the rest of the season.

-The team at Coltrain Hardware & Garden Center