Here we are, in the month of goldenrod and lowbush blueberries.

Pick goldenrod to add to a posy of wild or wayside flowers. No, you won’t get hay fever from these blossoms because the pollen, which is what causes sneezes from some plants, is too heavy. 

Goldenrod’s cousin, ragweed (whether the low-growing kind or the giant one) has a very lightweight pollen which is carried by the wind, not by insects. That’s the culprit. Pull it and do not add to the compost. Seeds may last 20 years or more and then germinate. Weed out as much as possible, especially before seeds set.

Blueberries are doing well this year. Washington and Hancock counties are the highest producers of tasty lowbush berries (Vaccinium angustifolium), followed by Knox and Lincoln Counties. 

We boast about Maine blueberries; but don’t discount those grown in eastern Canada: Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia also grow them. One August, traveling in eastern Ontario along a provincial road, I saw shack after little shack with kids and adults selling blueberries. Pies and muffins were offered too. What went unsold at the end of the day were cooked into products for the next day’s sale.

We’re not alone, but ours are among the best.

Farther south, berries not hardy in Maine grow well. When ordering from a catalog, be sure they’ll flourish here. 

Don’t underestimate our highbush berries, either. If not pruned, a Vaccinium corymbosum bush can grow to 15 feet or more. Berries may be larger, but which are better? It’s a matter of taste.

From the University of Maine have come hybrids between the low and the high varieties. “Patriot” is one. I haven’t had experience with these, but have learned that they are self-pollinating. To be sure, put in at least two, whether in the ground or in containers.

Blueberries in Maine grow best in acidic soil, where there is moisture. Don’t plant where puddles form; be sure of super drainage. Why should I tell you they need as much sun as possible?

Here’s a fruit truly native to North America. Lucky us!

More vegetables in August

Did you plant white-stalked celery? Be sure to blanch it now.

“Blanch”: what does that mean?

Cut out the sunlight, now that its stems have lengthened. Do this by popping a paper bag over each head, first cutting open the bottom. Lightly tie it just under the leaves and cover the bottom with a little soil to keep it from blowing. Remove after two weeks.

Or hill up the plants with soil or, preferably, sand. That is, cover the stems to keep out the sun. When harvested, the celery will need to be rinsed to get rid of the grit.

There’s no need to treat the entire celery crop at once. The unblanched celery may continue to grow for a couple of weeks until the first crop has been harvested.

Corn stalks may also be hilled up, pushing soil around the bases to keep them upright if there are strong winds. When the tassels turn brown, pick the corn before anything else tries to eat it.

Pick the cucumbers every day or two and more will come. Use a knife.

Did you grow leeks? Harvest these onion cousins at any time now, leaving them in the ground until needed. Or cut them off, leaving about 1/2 inch of stem in the ground to grow on next year.

Prepare leeks by trimming roots and the green tops. Then slice the long way, into quarters. That way, the leeks will be much easier to rinse free of soil and sand.

August growing is easier than spring preparation. It’s warm enough to get outdoors without spending time in bundling up first. Dusk is a useful time to work in the yard, unlike most April or May twilights, and, of course, the tasks are different. Enjoy this time as you cut wild flowers before supper – which may well include blueberry pie.