Summer is upon us, and that means plenty of hot weather. Everything in your garden starts to slow down between now and mid-August, so start enjoying! However, there is always work to be done to keep your garden looking as perfect as the day you planted.
General garden care
- Watch your watering in the heat and drought. Most plants need an inch of water every week; Buy a rain gauge so you can monitor rainfall. Water roots and not foliage; soaker hoses and irrigation with emitters are most effective. Use a rain wand to water containers and other plants as this method is gentle and won’t damage plants or disturb the soil.
- Use treegators on newly planted trees
- Kill unwanted grass and weeds with a bernzomatic weed burner or other organic weed control products.
- Add mosquito dunks to your pond or water feature to control mosquito larvae.
- Install a rain barrel to catch every precious raindrop.
- Install Japanese beetle traps as far away as possible from your plants.
Ornamentals
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- No fertilizer on trees and shrubs this month.
Deadhead flowers on annuals and perennials.
Apply preventative fungicides on plants susceptible to powdery mildew such as lilacs and roses.
- Pick up last minute plants for Fourth of July parties.
- Pinch chrysanthemums for the last time to enjoy bushy plants this fall.
- Check your mulch around trees and shrubs for prevention of mowing or trimming nicks.
- Treat thrips damage on annuals and perennials with insecticidal soap or Neem oil.
- Attract hummingbirds with a variety of flowering plants in your garden.
- Remember to fertilize your annuals this month.
- Feed the birds and enjoy their company all summer.
- Fertilize dahlias.
- Plant pond plants if not done already.
Edibles
- Plant carrots, beets, Swiss chard, broccoli, radish and spinach for a fall harvest.
- Be sure to provide adequate moisture for berries thru the month as this will increase the size of the berries.
- Pull out some potato plants to enjoy younger “new” potatoes while allowing the rest to mature.
- Harvest garlic after leaf dieback begins and there are still green leaves on the plant. Cut
- scapes for a delicious frittata!
- Check veggies daily for a timely harvesting, especially peas, strawberries, cherry tomatoes and squash.
- Cover berries and grapes with harvest cloth to protect from birds.
- Check mulch and add more salt hay or chopped and shredded hay and straw if needed.
- Fertilize asparagus.
- Plant some more sweet corn seed for a fall harvest.
- Check tree fruit-peaches and cherries, etc. to beat the birds.
Lawn care
- Continue mowing and try to increase the height of the blades. This will help the grass to tolerate the summer heat better. Also, the higher cuts can help to increase the depth of the roots.
- Control grubs this month with insecticides.
- Spot treat goosegrass and crabgrass with crabgrass killer.