August isn't actually the hottest month of the year in this hemisphere - but it sure feels like it. We've already been through the hottest month and all except the most ardent heat-lovers are beginning to long for the cooler weather of autumn. This is the time of year when most of us want to sit back, sip a cool drink and look at the flowers.

It certainly isn't the time most would choose to renovate sections of the garden or to tackle a long put-off lawn or garden project. However, it's a great time to work on creating an outdoor room. As with indoor decorating, your garden should reflect you and your family, so that everyone feels comfortable there. Create a retreat away from the house under a big shade tree.

Our lawns and gardens are put under a good deal of stress this time of year. Any weakness in water coverage, soil nutrition or weed control shows up immediately in the heat of summer.

Now is an excellent time to double-check your sprinkler system. Plugged or broken heads should be fixed or replaced.

Brown-patterned circles in your lawn around a sprinkler head indicate it has been plugged by dirt or has become a victim of the dreaded lawn mower attack.

The irrigation system in flower beds should also be carefully checked. Many times we plant in front of a sprinkler. This isn't a problem when the plant is a 6" tall seedling, but can result in disaster for others in the bed as that tiny plant grows to a couple of feet in height--and blocks the water to other plants.

Make the necessary adjustments--and watch your plants flourish!

Fungus diseases: If your lawn is developing areas that yellow and then turn brown, and you cannot find any insect pests, then you may consider the possibility of a fungus disease, particularly if you have been watering a lot, or watering at night. Closely examine the grass blades to see if they appear to be rotting off where they're attached to the stem. If so, then a fungus disease is a good possibility. Of course, if you see mushrooms, you definitely have fungus!

A healthy lawn can fight off enemies such as fungi, weeds, and insect pests. Keeping your turf grass cut at the correct height and applying water at proper times will go a long way in fighting off lawn pests. Most turf diseases thrive under certain conditions that include moisture and temperature, and nitrogen supply. That is why you will notice that diseases appear during certain seasons. Aside from extreme weather conditions, improper watering, too much or too little fertilizer, improper mowing height, soil compaction, uneven grading, accumulated thatch, overuse of lawn pesticides, or any combination of these may make your lawn more susceptible.

• Plant disease resistant grasses, such as Master Nursery New Nugget sod or seed.
• Remove excess thatch and do not leave clippings in the area affected.
• Avoid light, frequent watering. Water only in the early morning, water deeply, and water as infrequently as possible.
• Mow frequently at recommended heights.
• Aerate compacted soils.
• Fertilize only with the proper fertilizer for your turf type, and follow timing and amount directions exactly - both too much and too little nitrogen can encourage fungus (of different types).
• If the fungus is appearing in a 'low spot' where water tends to sit, build up the area or consider a water-loving turf alternative.
• Plant disease-resistant grasses.
• Top-dress with a thin layer of an organic mulch, such as Bumper Crop or Black Forest. In addition to building healthy soil, there are also many beneficial microbes and naturally occurring substances in organic mulching materials that suppress disease organisms.

Curative

The problem with using fungicides for lawn diseases is that by the time the disease is recognized and the cause identified, the infection has often run its course. The damage is done and no amount of fungicide can restore the damaged grass. However, spraying the grass in the area with a fungicide can kill existing fungus and help prevent further spreading. In the long run, though, the lawn care measures you adopt (topdressing, watering and fertilizing properly, mowing at the correct height, aerating, and reducing thatch) more effectively address present and future disease problems in most lawn disease situations.