outdoors

A U G U S T G A R D E N E R

oop the

oop

A new hose holder called

Gecko’s Toes puts its foot

down on kinked hoses. Snap

the hose into the flexible toes,

pull away only what you need,

and easily snap the hose loops

back into place when you’re

done. $12;

leevalley.com

PRETTY BLUE EYES

The remarkable blue-eyed

O s te o s p e rm u m

attracts attention wherever it grows. Older

types stop blooming in midsummer, waiting

for cooler fall weather. But new ones, such as

‘Flower Power Pink’,

a b o v e

, keep on

blooming. This and many other petal

colors are available at garden centers.

gardeners

-

S u r v e y e d say they

garden so that they can

create a better home

environment, while

23

% garden to increase

curb appeal and

property value.

Source: Garden Writers

Association

GARDENERSSHOULD have a tetanus/diphtheria (Td)

vaccination every 10 years, because they are at a higher risk of

tetanus infections.

Source: Centers fo r Disease C o ntrol and Prevention

THIS MONTH

INTHEGARDEN

through September is the best

time to plant a new lawn, or to

sow seed in any bare spots

that have appeared. Cooler

temperatures allow cool-

season grasses, such as

bluegrass, to establish quickly.

annuals you planted weeks ago,

such as coleus and scaveola, are

becoming leggy and overgrown.

Cut them back to 10 inches or

so—they’ll soon sprout new

growth. Discard the trimmings

or root them as cuttings.

west

Although it’s still

too hot to plant most fall

vegetables outside, you can get

a jump by starting the seeds

now, indoors where it’s cooler.

Transplant seedlings of lettuce,

chard, kale, and broccoli to the

garden in 6-8 weeks.

122

AUGUST 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS

P H O T O S : (H O S E H O L D E R ) B L A IN E M O A T S , (O S T E O S P E R M U M ) M A R T Y B A L D W IN , (N O R T H ) P E T E K R U M H A R D T , (S O U T H ) D E A N S C H O E P P N E R , (W E S T ) M A R T Y B A L D W IN