Summer Bloom Tips
Brenda Hyde
July 1, 2010
July is a time to enjoy your summer blooms and the progress of your vegetables, fruit and herbs. But, don't neglect garden chores, or you'll find a tangled mess by the time August arrives. Keep weeding! After a rain is the perfect time, they come up easier. Clear the debris to the compost pile or trash, don't be tempted to leave anything laying. The bugs and slugs are in full force now and anything left on the soil gives them places to hide and multiply (except for crushed eggshells which they hate!). I know this isn't the most enjoyable part of gardening, but what I do is make it a "quiet time" for myself away from television, computer and the kids:) I use an empty ice cream bucket, my garden shears and head out to the beds to snip and clean. Do this as often as you like, but at least once a week.
Weeding and deadheading are the two most important chores you can do to keep a neat garden, but here are some more tips for particular plants and flowers:
-Snapdragons will be forming round seedheads-they are easy to spot because they have a little "antenna" like stem coming out of the top and are in clusters. Snip these off and you'll soon have a new set of blooms!
-Pinch the centers out of your mum and aster plants. Just use your finger or garden shears and snip the center out and any buds. Do this now, and then leave them be for the remainder of the summer. This will help them bush out and look better for the fall blooms.
-Refresh your mulch and use a pitch fork or rake to stir it up a bit. I was just reading of a couple of types of fungi that can grow in certain mulches--but stirring them up allows the air to circulate and may help.
-Your houseplants are safe to take outside, but remember to keep them out of the direct sun, and water well. If you haven't repotted any that need it, do so now.
-You can plant viola and pansie seeds now for next year. You'll find your plants are looking a little rough, and they will have seedpods you can let go naturally or gather them and sow yourself. I never give up on my pansies, violas and Johnny jump ups--if I can get even a few more blooms out of them I do! I know many books and magazines tell you to pull them and replace with other annuals. I never do this. I planted impatiens in a container in front of the house with the pansies--those are just taking off and looking perky, but there are still blooms left on the pansies as well.
-You can also plant seeds of hollyhocks, English daisies, foxgloves, Canterbury bells, and dianthus for bloom next year.
-A note on watering...it's better for the plants and lawn to water less often but deeply when you do. Some of you may not even need to water extra as you are getting too much rain! I hope you get a break soon. If you have drought conditions use thick mulch and water when you can. Remember, many plants and flowers don't respond well to sprinklers--it can even cause rot and mildew. As a general rule it's better to water well in the morning, and not in the evening. Container plants may need two waterings if it's extremely hot and/or windy. Gardeners in warm climates and even some cooler climates can still plants cosmos, nasturtiums, marigolds, calendula, zinnias and other quick germinating annuals. Remember to check your garden centers for sales on annuals and perennials. July and August are great times to find bargains.
MORE GARDEN TIPS
What is deadheading? Can you use the flowers instead of just snipping and discarding?
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