The hot summer weather we have been experiencing can produce a myriad of issues for your garden. These are some of the more prevalent problems and the steps you should take to correct them. Powdery mildew on squash and pumpkins is something I see even in my garden every summer. Powdery mildew, a fungal disease, causes white, powdery spots or film on squash leaves, leading to reduced yields and drooping plants, especially in humid August conditions. As soon as this problem occurs remove and bag infected leaves(don’t compost as you will spread the fungus). Spray with neem oil or copper fungicide every few days. Improve airflow by pruning some leaves and water early in the day to keep leaves dry in the evening. When the weather is hot and dry for long periods soil compaction and drought stress due to lack of rain can occur. Dry August weather can lead to hard, cracked soil that actually repels water and stresses plant roots. To correct the problem water deeply in the early morning by leaving sprinkler on longer or adding root watering spikes. Apply mulch like straw, compost, or leaves to retain moisture. Avoid tilling soil to preserve soil structure like mycorrhizal fungi which only survives in undisturbed soil and you can add mycorrhizae like FoxFarm’s Microbrew. Add earthworms to the soil, the same worms we sell for fishing can also be used in your garden. This next problem only occurs if your tomatoes are growing well, “Tomato Plant Collapse”. Just like it sounds, tomato vines often flop over mid-to-late August due to heavy fruit, poor staking, or disease like blight, leading to fruit rot and reduced yields. Trim suckers and yellowing leaves, re-tie vines with soft twine or velcro, and lift any fruit off the soil. You can simply put a jar under your tomatoes to keep them off the ground. Improve airflow to prevent blight by keeping the area weed free. And you should put egg shells around your tomatoes anytime of year to add calcium to the soil and prevent end rot. Another problem I have seen this summer is bolting herbs and vegetables. Bolting is when your plants suddenly get tall. Herbs like basil and vegetables like lettuce bolt in the August heat, spiking growth, producing flowers and turning bitter or tough. Cut back herbs by one-third to encourage regrowth. Harvest in the morning for better flavor. Re-seed lettuce with heat-tolerant varieties or use shade cloth to reduce the direct sun. There is still plenty of time to plant a second crop of many short season crops like carrots, radish, and cold crop like cabbage, broccoli, and brussel sprouts. Continue to lightly feed your crops through fall. Typical granular fertilizers won’t act fast enough this time of year to be effective, so if you want to give your plants a boost use water soluble fertilizers only. They are milder so as not to stress your plants and because they are water soluble there is a quicker uptake. Like watering, add fertilizers early in the morning with the morning watering. Continued care of your garden through the August heat will continue to reap benefits well into the fall.