22 Jun
0
Whether you’re growing perennials, vegetables, or a new lawn, here are some ways to keep your landscaping healthy and well groomed through the summer months.
- Weed: Take your favorite weeding tools and root up any weeds that have decided to grow where they are not wanted. Do this every few weeks, to prevent the weeds from seeding and spreading. Ridding your garden of weeds preserves moisture, nutrients, and space for the plants you DO want to have around.
- Watch for pests and disease: Like weeding, keeping an eye on pests and disease in your yard should be done all year. But midsummer seems to be particularly popular for these gardening obstacles. Be ready to respond fast. Visit our Plant Pharmacy for plant treatments.
- Deadhead and pinch: Use a sharp pair of snips or pruners to remove any spent blooms from perennials, shrubs, and annuals. This encourages the plants to either rebloom, or to put effort into establishing their roots and foliage. It also prevents the plant from reseeding.
- Divide crowded Iris: If you have clumps of Iris, dig them up, split them into sections, pull apart intertwined rhizomes, toss any diseased tubers, and replant as needed. They will bounce back beautifully.
- Harvest and dry herbs after a heavy rain: Many herbs, like Basil, last longer when they are pinched back regularly during summer. And it’s a great time to harvest and dry herbs that can be used in winter-time cooking.
- Raise your mower: Leave your grass a little long during the summer so it can better retain moisture, which will prevent it from crisping up in the hot sun.
- Plant cool-loving vegetable seeds like broccoli, carrots, cabbage, lettuce, and spinach, and others so you can enjoy fresh, delicious harvests that coming autumn.
- Fertilize: After a busy spring of new growth, plants can benefit from a second dose of organic fertilizer to spur on more blooms and good health. And fertilize your containers every two weeks to encourage blooms and keep them performing well through fall.
- Compost: Add garden waste, grass clippings, pruning material and leaves into a compost bin or pile (as long as they are not diseased). Turn the compost over with a pitchfork now and again to help it compost down faster.
- Propagate: If there are any plants in the garden you love, take cuttings or seeds from them while you can and plan for future use.
- Prune any plants lightly for shape to keep your landscaping looking tidy.