August is here and needless to say, it is HOT! However Fall is right around the corner and here are a few tips to get you through the scorching days of August.

Make the best use of the water you have by watering early in the morning before the wind speeds pick up. Otherwise, much of the water will evaporate before the plants get to use it. To further avoid excess evaporation, use a sprinkler that produces large drops of water instead of a fine mist. Plants need about one inch of water each week during this long summer period. If you have heavy clay soil adjust the timing of the irrigation zones to make sure water is not running off the landscape. Your irrigation schedule should be adjusted to allow for slow infiltration of the water. Be a WISE – keep water on the landscape.

Soil that is exposed can heat up to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This is hot enough to kill those tender root hairs near the surface. Three to four inches of mulch can make the soil 10 to 20 degrees cooler. Besides reducing soil temperature, mulches also conserve water by reducing evaporation, often up to 65 percent.

August is the last month to plant a new lawn before winter temperatures arrive. Newly-installed lawns need at least six to eight weeks to establish a healthy root system.

Prune roses back, but do not remove more than one-third of the plant. Prune and remove spent blooms on annuals and perennials to encourage continuous blooming well into fall.

Tomato and Peppers planted earlier this year will not set fruit during the heat of the summer, even though they may still be flowering. If the plants remain healthy, they will set fruit again once the temperatures stay below 90 degrees. Sidedress established healthy plants with fertilizer and keep watered to encourage new growth. Set out tomato transplants; look for early maturing variety (65 to 75 days). Our average first freeze is mid-November and tomato maturity slows down as the days get cool and cloudy.

CobraTec OTF Knives are now available at J&N Feed and Seed in Graham, Texas. Stop by and shop our selection CorbaTec knives.

CobraTec is based in the Lone Star State, in Waxahachie, Texas. They create high-quality knives for a lifetime of usage. From your trusty pocket knife that you carry every day to field dressing your game, or at your favorite hunting location, this knife will keep up with you.

CobraTec knives are extremely safe to operate and use. CobraTec OTF knives come with a built-in safety feature that will not allow the blade to fully deploy if anything is obstructing its path. Once in ‘safety mode’ the blade will need to be reset by pulling the blade all the way into its locked position making it fully functional again.

Every CobraTec® knife comes with a no-hassle lifetime warranty. Stop by J&N Feed and Seed in Graham, Texas, for CovraTec knives.

Pick up the Rescue TrapStik for Wasps at J&N Feed and Seed. Rescue TrapStiks employs exclusive VisiLure® colors and patterns proven to attract wasps, mud daubers, and carpenter bees outdoors.

What It Catches
Catches paper wasps, mud daubers, and carpenter bees. Redesigned to include bird guards and spikes on the top and bottom caps, the trap keeps wildlife safe while continuing to catch the target insects.

How It Works
Uses our exclusive VisiLure® technology to lure the target insects with appealing colors and a multi-dimensional pattern. Insects are attracted by the colors and patterns on the TrapStik, then get stuck on the adhesive surface.

Unique Features & Benefits

• Bird guards provide protection for birds, bats, and other small animals
• Odor-free
• Pesticide-free
• Weather-resistant
• Catches queens and workers, spring through fall
• Can be placed near a nest to reduce populations, making it safer to spray
• Made in the USA

What Kills The Insects?
Wasps get caught on the sticky surface. Once stuck, they expire on their own.

Where It’s Used
Hang Rescue TrapStik for wasps outdoors, from the eaves of your home or wherever you see evidence of wasp, mud dauber, or carpenter bee activity. For best results, hang TrapStik from man-made structures where these insects nest or boreholes, such as an eave, awning, pergola, garage, or shed. Avoid hanging TrapStik where birds or other wildlife activity happens, and where children or pets may come in contact with the adhesive. TrapStik can also be placed next to an insect nest to deplete the population.

Pick up your hay baling supplies at J&N Feed and Seed. From bale spears to bale wrappers, whatever your hay needs are J&N has the hay baling supplies you need!

Texas producers grow some of the best quality hay in the south. Producing high-yielding and top-quality hay requires attention to harvest management, soil fertility, pest management, and good storage methods. The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research & Extension has some good tips for producing quality hay.

Tips For Producing Quality Hay

1. Forage tests to determine hay quality. This is important for feeding as well as being an important factor for selling hay.

2. Harvest Early! Forage maturity at harvest is # 1-factor affecting quality. Short hay harvest intervals favor good quality.

3. Rake and Bale to minimize leaf loss. Leaves are of higher quality than stems. Retaining leaves during raking and baling helps maintain quality.

4. Fertilize Correctly. Low fertility leads to weeds, a low percentage of forage leaves, poor forage persistence, and stemmy hay.

5. Add Legumes. Legumes are of higher quality at a given stage of growth than grasses. Adding legumes in mixtures with grasses can improve hay quality. Management for legume/grass hay includes all of the above.

6. Cover Hay if Possible. Barns or tarps work well. If no cover is available to stack in rows at least 3 ft. apart in the open, high on a well-drained slope, preferably on poles, crushed rock, or pallets. Storage losses can easily exceed 25% on poorly stored hay. High-quality hay spoils faster than poor quality hay if left uncovered.

Source: University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research & Extension