AUGUST TASKS

Outside

■ Plant lettuce, spinach, kale and other coolseason greens for fall harvest. Spinach and kale can withstand frost.

■ Pull weeds to reduce next year's crop. Dispose of spoiled vegetables to lessen insect and disease problems.

■ Water plants thoroughly when necessary to encourage deep root growth. Frequent light sprinkling causes roots to grow near the surface, where they dry out quickly. Water trees planted during the past five years.

■ Pick crops early in the morning, when moisture and flavor content are highest; store the harvest in the refrigerator or another cool place. ■ Maintain a thin layer of mulch around herbs to keep plants from being splattered with mud. The day before harvest, rinse the foliage with a spray from the garden hose.

■ Donate surplus vegetables to a soup kitchen or the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, 3960 Brookham Dr., Grove City. Call 614-277-3663.

■ Rejuvenate annuals by cutting off spent flowers and fertilizing with a general garden blend, such as 5-10-5 or 5-10-10. Follow package directions.

■ Begin renovating the lawn and reseeding at the end of the month or in early September.

■ Divide and transplant overgrown clumps of perennials, and plant container-grown perennials.

■ Plant pansies, fall-blooming crocuses and colchicums. Inside

■ Check smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors. ■ Clean or replace furnace and air-conditioner filters. Check the outdoor compressor. Turn off the electricity, and use a garden hose to wash dirt and debris out of the grid and fins.

■ Toggle circuit-breaker switches to ensure they aren't stuck.

■ Test ground-fault interrupters by plugging in a night light or small appliance and activating the test buttons.

■ Check for loose mountings or gaps in the seals around window air conditioners.

■ Activate the sumppump switch to make sure it works. ■ Vacuum bathroom vent- fan covers. Also check the intake covers on hand- held hair dryers. Keeping the intake clear of dust will make the motor last longer.

■ Clean dishwasher food fi lters and clear any obstructions from the ports in the spray arms.

■ Check stairs and handrails for loose parts. Repair fences and decks as needed.

■ Schedule a fi replace and chimney inspection. ■ Repot houseplants if needed. For those that you want to grow bigger, plant in a pot that is an inch or 2 larger in diameter. Prune the roots of those you want to keep in the same pot, and trim back some foliage.