Sow fall crops like kohlrabi, kale, sprouting broccoli and Chinese cabbage.
As leaves yellow or die, lift, separate and transplant irises and narcissus.
Prune shade trees if they need it, so they will heal before fall. Prune birches and dogwoods, if necessary.
Remove faded blossoms from mountain laurels and rhododendrons, but don't injure developing buds beneath the trusses; they are next year's flowers.
Keep after the weeds, and stake flowers and vegetables that need support.
Control insects by giving plants (except the fuzzy-leaf types) a good hard spray with the hose. Doing so will wash off aphids, spider mites and mealybugs.
Try using beneficial nematodes to control cutworms, corn ear worms, Colorado potato beetles, Mexican bean beetles, squash borers and even Japanese beetles. The Avant Gardener newsletter says gardeners have destroyed squash borers by injecting the nematodes into squash borer holes with a veterinary hypodermic needle. A source for nematodes: Gardens Alive, 5100 Schenley Place, Lawrenceburg, Ind. 47025.
Deeply water newly transplanted trees and shrubs once a week, if rain is scarce. Keep newly planted seedbeds moist. Mulch crops with clean straw, salt hay, chopped leaves or sawdust.
Pinch back hardy chrysanthemums. Cut back leggy potted plants; give them a drink of diluted fish emulsion. Don't let containers dry out.