Still looking for summer color?  You'll love our oversized perennial Hibiscus plants in numerous tropical colors. This hardy variety will come back year after year and provide you beautiful late summer color.

Sunflowers will be arriving shortly.

There are still plenty of Tropical plants that will continue to love the summer heat.

Look for Mums to arrive in early September.

Mark you calendar for the 2008 Jersey Shore Rose Show at Dearborn Market. Saturday and Sunday, September 6th and 7th.

You Garden in August

Before you squeeze in that last vacation, remember to enjoy using your very own vacation spot, your own back yard! Sometimes when the air conditioning gets turned on and we don't want to brave the heat outside, we often forget that we have a peaceful place nearby to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of nature before the indoor days of winter are upon us. Especially in the cooler morning and evening hours of the day.

Now is a great time to consider inviting over friends or family that perhaps you've been meaning to catch up with but haven't set aside the time. Prepare your backyard, porch or patio with some fun outdoor lighting such as unique tea lights, lanterns or floating candles. We have some really fun and imaginative ways to light up your yard at Dearborn Market.

Make it less work by involving the whole family in your preparations to have guests over for an evening. Kids can help weed or cut the grass while Mom and Dad can trim back and stake oversized plants or bushes. Share your summer bounty of tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables as part of the meal, picked fresh from your yard. Have fun being creative stringing white lights in trees or in bushes to add summer sparkle. Mason jars or other simple containers filled with freshly cut annuls from your yard will add color and intoxicating smells to your patio or porch. Light some citronella buckets candles half an hour before your guests arrive to keep the flying insects to a minimum. And most importantly, keep your meal plans cold, fresh and simple so that you spend more time visiting with your guests and enjoying your outdoor paradise, than slaving away in the kitchen.

All of us at  Dearborn Market hope that you are enjoying a wonderful summer. Here are some additional outdoor tips for August:

Now is the time to pinch back annual flower beds to assure continuing blooms.

Stake late blooming perennials before they are blown down.

Plan spaces in your garden for Spring bulbs  such as Daffodils and other Spring Blooming Bulbs now.

Pick mature fruit and vegetables regularly, so that those pieces not yet ripe will develop properly. As all the tomato plants seem to ripen at once, make up small baskets for friends and neighbors to enjoy.

As the weather becomes even more hot and humid, keep spraying for black spot, aphids and mildew.

Flowers for drying and pressing can be collected now when the color is the strongest. Study various preserving methods.

Divide Iris and day lilies now that they have bloomed. Keep them well watered and nourished.

Trim back large vines such as Wisteria. Espaliers (those bushes or vies trained to grow up a wall) should all be trimmed back now. The general rule of thumb is to trim back any branches that stick out from the wall Allow only those branches to keep growing that grow up or to the sides.

Birds and animals all need water no more than ever. Keep birdbaths full and leave out small trays of water for other small ground animals. Be sure to brush them out in the hot weather and refill them frequently to prevent bacteria and algae build-up.

As the weeds attack, mulch like mad! Contact your local township that may allow you to pick up free mulch from their mulch pile of dead bead brush and branches that have been left out.

Floral Department:

Look for our famous  fresh  cut farm bouquets filled with all your favorite summer flowers: Queen Ann's Lace, Sunflowers,  Zinnias, Summer Stock and Wild Thistle.