PLANTING

Cool-season crops Sunset climate zones 7–9, 14–17: Start broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chard, lettuce, and spinach seeds in containers. Sow carrots, onions, peas, and radishes directly in the ground. Zones 1–2: Where frosts aren't expected until late October, sow seeds of beets, carrots, radishes, and spinach; they should be ready to harvest by fall.

Perennial flowers Zones 7–9, 14–17: For bloom next spring and summer, sow seeds of aster, carnation, columbine, coneflower, coreopsis, feverfew, gaillardia, hollyhock, lupine, penstemon, phlox, Shasta daisy, statice, and yarrow.

Sunflowers For blooms into autumn, plant from seed until September 1, suggests Greg Zollars of Alden Lane Nursery in Livermore. Zollars's favorites include Autumn Beauty, a mix of 5- to 7-foot-tall varieties in shades of mahogany to yellow; Florists' Favorite, a mix of yellow and white blooms reaching 4 to 5 feet tall; and classic yellow 'Sunspot', which reaches 2 feet tall.

MAINTENANCE

Deep-water trees To minimize stress during hot weather, irrigate trees to a depth of 18 to 24 inches, depending on the size and age of the tree. Use a soaker hose, deep-root irrigator, or a hose turned on slowly in a basin, and run it until the soil under the tree's canopy is thoroughly soaked. Check moisture penetration by digging down with a trowel or soil sampling tube.

Manage algae in water features Keep ponds and fountains free of algae by using a safe algaecide such as GreenClean Granular Algaecide (available from pondbiz.com). When used according to package directions, GreenClean is safe for plants, fish, and pets. And tests at Sunset's headquarters proved the product incredibly effective.

Prune hydrangeas Zones 7–9, 14–17: Except for 'All Summer Beauty' and 'Endless Summer', which bloom on new growth, most hydrangeas produce flowers on the previous year's growth. To control a plant's size and shape, trim it right after blooms fade. (This way, you'll avoid cutting off next year's flower buds.) Cut stems to 12 inches tall, trimming just above a node.

Treat chlorosis In midsummer, many plants develop signs of iron deficiency (leaves turn yellow but veins remain green). To correct this, apply iron chelate according to label directions. Make sure the soil is moist before applying, then water thoroughly afterward.

PEST CONTROL

Control spider mites These pests thrive during hot, dry weather. Look for fine webbing on plants and stippling on leaves. Spray the undersides of leaves with insecticidal soap. To reduce the chance of infestations, periodically rinse dust and dirt off leaves with water.

Manage yellow jackets Minimize the stinging pests by setting out traps (available at many nurseries and home improvement centers), or try the new botanical-based EcoSmart Wasp & Hornet Killer spray (available at buyecosmart.com), which is safe for people and pets.

photo by Thomas J. Story

Lime foliage and lemon yellow flowers look especially cool together on a hot August day. To refresh a sunny or partly shaded patio, pot up our favorite "lemonade" combo, with the tallest plant (accent) toward the back of an 18-inch container, the filler in the center, and the spillers around the front edges.

Accent Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious': chartreuse leaves, red blooms in late summer. 1 plant.

Filler Sweet flag ( Acorus gramineus 'Ogon'): golden yellow leaves. 1 plant.

Spillers Superbells 'Yellow Chiffon' calibrachoa: pale yellow blooms. 3 plants. Creeping jenny ( Lysimachia nummularia 'Goldilocks'): light green leaves. 1 plant.

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