The dog days of summer will soon be upon us! In July’s gardening tips we will not only talk about what to do, but also what not to do.
This is a good time of year while out in your yard and garden to make notes on what’s working, what’s not, what needs to be divided, pruned or possibly moved all together.
How does the lawn look? Will it need to be over-seeded this fall? Could you use more color or texture?
In other words, it’s a great time of year to evaluate and make plans to implement improvements this fall and/or the following spring.
If you suffer from outdoor allergies, everyday eat a tablespoon of raw honey that has been organically grown and extracted from locally raised beehives. The honey will contain immune stimulating properties needed for your body to adapt to this environment. You may begin to notice a reduction in your allergy symptoms next spring.
At the very least, it tastes good and you’re supporting a local business.
• Continue to remove faded flowers from annuals and perennials. This is known as deadheading. Cut your annuals back if they become leggy, and continue to feed your annuals every two weeks.
• Removing flowers from garlic will promote bigger bulbs.
• Late this month, divide and transplant iris. Iris will benefit from division every 3 to 5 years. It’s an easy process and the benefits are healthy plants and increased blooms. Find a great “how to” article at http://bit.ly/biEvtb.
• Perennials that have bloomed out and have shaggy looking foliage, can be cut back. In two weeks time you’ll have new growth that looks great and you may get a second bloom surprise.
• Remove spent flowers on Stella de Oro daylilies. Firmly pinch at flower base and snap it off as this will remove the forming seed head. If you miss a few, you’ll see the seed head in a few days — snap it off too. You’ll benefit with better re-bloom.
• Roots have likely filled your potted containers and will require more frequent watering.
• Mulching trees and garden bed plantings with 2 to 3 inches of compost or wood chips will help retain moisture, condition the soil tilth (structure and nutrients) and maintain a more stable soil temperature. I wouldn’t recommend rocks, especially around trees, as they retain heat and increase the soil temperature.
