August is one of Florida's hottest months. The wise Florida Gardener will spend most of his or her time inside in the air conditioning or sitting in the pool sipping iced-tea or maybe something a little stronger! If you do decide to venture outside there are some things that will need to be attended to in the garden. Pest control is one of the top priorities. Look out for and be ready to control ants looking to make their way into your dwelling, sod webworms, mole crickets and chinch bugs intent on gobbling up your lawn, scale insects sucking the life blood out of your fruit trees and ornamentals, and aphids massing on the new growth of your citrus.

There is so much to learn about gardening in Florida. Even those who have been doing it for years learn new things almost daily. Since there are thousands of plants that will grow in this state and more that are added yearly you can literally spend your life studying gardening in Florida and still not know all there is to know about the subject. But that is why this month is so great as it is an excellent time to stop doing and spend some time learning. Unfortunately no single book (nor website) can answer all of your gardening questions, but there are a number of very good ones out there with tons of excellent information to help you along your way. If you have questions be sure to log-in to The FG Forum -- here you can chat with other Florida Gardeners and share your gardening tips and stories!

This month, make sure you continue to fertilize since Florida's sandy soils do not hold nutrients well and your plants (especially palm trees) may begin to show signs of nutritional deficiencies. Heavy rains and consistent watering help to leach away the foods plants need to do their best. If you are anxious to plant a traditional vegetable, herb or annual garden this month (better to wait until September) these are your best bets:

Vegetables :  Beans, Broccoli, Carrots, Collards, Corn, Cowpeas, Cucumbers, Celery, Eggplant, Leaf Lettuce, Mustard, Okra, Onions, Peppers, Pumpkin, Squash Tomatoes, Turnips, and Watermelon.

Herbs:   Basil, Chives, Dill, Mint, Oregano, Sweet Marjoram.

Flowers:   Asters, Balsam, Begonias, Black-Eyed Susan Vine, Blue Daze, Cat's Whiskers, Coleus, Cosmos, Cockscombs, Dianthus, Forget-Me-Nots, Gaillardia, Golden Globe Impatiens, Marigolds, Melapodium, Moon Vine, Pentas, Periwinkles, Petunias, Phlox, Porterweed, Portulaca, Purslane, Salvia, Scabiosa, Strawflowers, Sunflowers, Tithonias, Torenia, Verbenas and Zinnias.

Bulbs:   African Iris, Agapanthus, Amaryllis, Cannas, Crinums, Daylilies, Gladioli, Gloriosa Lilies, Society Garlic and Zephyranthes (Rain Lilies).

Sources: Florida Home Grown; Florida Gardening Month by Month