Tornado Warrch: The Almanack sees no tornado activity in the Mid-Atlantic Region in the month of August.

Full Moon: August’s Full Moon will occur on August 31st. It has been commonly referred to as Dog Moon for ‘The Dog Days of Summer’ which end on Saturday, August 11th. It has also been called Full Ripe Moon or Fruit Moon because of the many summer vegetables and fruits that come ripe at this time and Sturgeon Moon because sturgeon season begins in many parts of the world.

Holidays: Where did the Summer go? September (and Labor Day) is right around the corner and that means back to school for many. Make a list of school supplies that will be need in those first days and buy them now. Encourage high school seniors to complete at least one college application before school starts.

The Garden: August is the peak of the hot and dry season and if you don’t get adequate rainfall, your flower and vegetable gardens will need some extra watering during the month. If you use a thick mulch, water will be retained much better. To ensure a happy harvest, pick vegetables in the morning hours when the sugar content is highest but be very careful not do when plants are wet or you will more than likely spread disease if it is present. Also, bruised or scratched vegetables spoil quickly and damaged plants are targets for pests and diseases. Use clippers or a sharp knife to harvest tough- or brittle-stemmed crops such as broccoli, cabbage, eggplant, peppers, and squash. They can be damaged if pulled or torn from their stems.