Here are some reminders of things to do in your garden in August.

•  Cut back  berry vines that have produced fruit.  Canes of the current season should be trained in place.
• Spider mites are especially prolific during hot, dry weather.  Sometimes you don’t even know how bad  the infestation      is until all your leaves are pale with stippling.  Periodically rinse dust and dirt off leaves with water.  Spray the undersides of infected leaves with insecticidal soap, switching to neem oil if they build up a resistance to one of the pesticides. 
• Start cool season veggies seeds now so they are ready to put in the ground in 6-8 weeks when the  weather is cooler.  You can start broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, chard, lettuce and spinach seeds in containers.  Carrots, onions, peas, beets and radishes can be sown directly in the ground. 
• One last to do:  Make a journal entry celebrating the best things about your garden this year