Depending on your climate zone and what you are growing, this can be a most active, productive time in your greenhouse. In cooler climates like mine, Bird of Paradise, banana trees, dwarf lemons, potted tomatoes, vining cucumbers growing up a trellis, and others are in full glory.

Temperature —

High temperatures are still a concern. Continue to provide shading, exhaust ventilation, and air circulation. Leave the doorway open during the warmest part of the day. Damp down shelves, benches and the floor on a regular basis.

Watering —

Check plants daily for water needs. Smaller pots will probably need daily watering or use a self-watering capillary mat under them. Water-storing granules are also helpful.

When I water, I also fine mist most of my plants to provide extra moisture when they need it most.

Continue feeding actively growing plants for improved flowering and fruiting.

Pest Control —

With these longer summer days, plants seem to grow at lightening speed. Unfortunately unwanted bugs and disease can also multiply rapidly if not kept in check. Remember to look under leaves where those little critters love to hide. A lighted magnifier and an underleaf hand sprayer short circuit many potential problems.

Also have on hand the basic controls for the most likely challenges – whiteflies, aphids, mites, powdery mildew and black spot. In my personal arsenal, I like to have a bottle of Neem Oil and GreenCure Fungicide.

What to Grow —

This is a great time to plant some quick-maturing veggies like bush beans, Chinese cabbage, radishes, summer squash, kohlrabi etc.

Check your favorite seed catalogs for dwarf and other greenhouse seed varieties. There are many unusual seeds you can try that you can’t find locally!

Plant seeds for a variety of winter lettuces in flats, pots, grow bags or from ground up. Sow different types of seeds for dwarf and other carrots, spacing them out to harvest early, mid and late winter.

I like to transplant some of my favorite herbs from outdoors into pots and have them ready to return to my greenhouse in September.

Tomatoes should be fruiting now. Keep the temperature below 80° F . Watering is ultra important. Inconsistency reduces production, causes cracked fruit and may cause blossom end rot. Continue to feed them regularly. I like to use a liquid fertilizer and feed each time I water them now. Check that they have enough supports and reinforce supports if necessary. If roots appear on top of the soil, add a layer of organic compost as a top dressing.

Start planting bulbs again this month. Check and make sure you have plenty of bulb pans and bulb medium on hand. Plant Freesia, Cyclamen, Arum Lily, Iris reticulate, Lachenalia, Nerium for later flowering. Plant Hyacinth and Narcissus for Christmas blooming at the end of August. Plant other fall flowering bulbs in containers.

Start flower seeds that will be in bloom in your greenhouse for spring such as Schizanthus, Butterfly Flower, Cyclamen, Phlox, Primula, Cineraria, Larkspur, Nemesia and others.

August is an ideal time to take fall cuttings for next spring and summer plantings.

Happy growing adventures!

A.K.A. Mrs. Charley