While watering and weeds are at the top of the to-do list, with planting and other chores at a minimum, keeping a garden diary should also be on your list. As you move about your garden this year do some experimenting and write down what happens. Chances are if you don’t write it down, you won’t remember next year. Make notes, to plan for fall reworking of problem spots, or a bed redesign. You can add ideas for next year’s gardens as you drive past someone’s house or tour a local historic sites.
Task 1 : JAPANESE BEETLES! YIKES!
Last week I went out to my vegetable garden to see that the Japanese Beetles had eaten most of my basil! This is the time of year that pests get bold! If you have Beetles eating your Basil, Hydrangea, Roses, Iris’s, Rhododendron or Wisteria there are multiple ways of ridding yourself of them, some more labor intensive then others. DO NOT put down milky spore! It’s too late!! Milky Spore is a naturally occurring bacterium that is effective in controlling Japanese beetle grubs only. (http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/gaston/Pests/japbeet.html). Once the grubs have emerged (now) the spores will be ineffective against the beetles, you’ll have the engage the enemy using different means (but make a note in your diary to add milky spore in the fall for NEXT year’s infestation). Handpicking (as with other obvious pests like tomato hornworms) in early morning and drown in a can of water can reduce infestation, as can the traps that are sold at most local hardware stores. The list of home remedies goes on and on, people have recipes for ridding themselves of pests that have been passed down for generations. Be attentive and pro-active and you should be fine.
Task 2: WATERING
Anyone living in the Hudson Valley knows that for most of July, we’ve been in a drought. It looks like it’s turning around now, but plants need about an inch of water a week from you or the heavens. If it’s not raining, it’s up to you to keep them moist. Purchase a rain gauge to make sure they are getting the moisture they need. Soak deeply in the root zone; do NOT just spritz them with a sprayer now and again. Potted plants need extra attention as it gets hotter, especially smallish ones in sun, and they also need regular feeding. Be alert! Young trees are especially vulnerable to drought, if you’re having a dry year; particularly the oldest and the youngest (those planted in the last few years) water deeply or use a Tree-Gator. A weekly walk through of your gardens will be beneficial. Not only will you enjoy seeing the benefits of all your hard work, you can weed! Weeds are not just unsightly but steal moisture, nutrients and light from your plants. If your mulch is looking a bit thin, add some more now, not only will it help keep weeds at bay you’ll need to guard against Augusts’ heat stealing all of the moisture from the soil. Your best bet is to be aware of the rainfall (which is easy to do), if it hasn’t rained in three days, wander out to your garden, put the hose in low and soak your plants for 15-20 minutes as you weed. The best time to water is before the sun comes up and then as it is going down. You will have less evaporation and more moisture going into the plants.
Task 3: PRUNING
CUT THOSE SPENT FLOWERS! If you were squeamish about cutting back spent spring flowers, you may be regretting it now, and face wilted brown, exhausted plants in certain spots. Some perennials do better if cut back hard. Go for it. A rule of thumb is to allow spring bloomers to flower and leaf out freely. But if the plant tends to get diseased early in the summer, then cutting it back immediately after blooming. If perennials that have already flowered are getting leggy, cut it back. They will sprout new leaves IF it’s healthy. If a plant gets too leggy in the pot, it should be whacked back (to the ground of by half), this forces it to become bushier and to generate new leaves to make it a presentable. Just understand that some plants such as hosta do not like to be cut back and will sulk if you do. Remember to throw some compost or fertilizer on the plants to help them recover from the shock. Others need just deadheading of spent blooms. Annuals that grow leggy can often benefit from a chop job, too. For trees and shrubs be on the lookout for dead, damaged, diseased wood, suckers and water spouts, prune them out. All of the spring flowering trees and shrubs (like lilacs, quince, dogwoods, crabapples, pear, weigelia, etc) reach the end of their pruning window after the beginning of July. Prune them NOW or you risk damaging the emerging buds for next year’s blooms.
Task 4: FEEDING
Stop fertilizing woody plants. Promoting more soft growth in high summer isn’t good; time for them to start moving toward the hardening-off phase of their cycle. Don’t fertilize again until late winter or earlier spring.
Task 5: VEG GARDEN
Don’t let the compost heap dry out completely, or it will not “cook.” Turning it to aerate will also hasten decomposition, but things will rot eventually even if not turned.
Most people think that if they didn’t get the seeds in by the end of May, they are sunk for the rest of the year. NOT TRUE! Many gardeners start their fall crops now. Plant your fall crop of carrots, beets, radishes, lettuce, kale, basil, dill, kohlrabi, mustard and spinach. Make sure that they get in NOW, or it WILL be too late. Some gardeners start their seeds for spring now too, cauliflower and broccoli especially. I’ve not had any luck overwintering them yet. This is a great opportunity to treat your vegetable garden like a science experiment! Write down what happens when you plant your fall crop. Try overwintering some of the hardier vegetables and see what happens!
For the best flavor start harvesting your, basil, sage, marjoram and oreganos, mint, tarragon, just before bloom. Harvest lavender, rosemary and chamomile as they flower, blossoms and all.
Strawberry beds may need rejuvenating now. According to the University of Illinois Extension (http://urbanext.illinois.edu/strawberries/growing.cfm), June-bearing strawberries should be renovated every year right after harvest. A strawberry patch will continue to be productive for three to four years as long as the planting is maintained. The first step is to cut off the leaves about one inch above the crowns, rake out and if disease-free, compost. Fertilize using 10-10-10 fertilizer (1lb per 100 square feet). Remove all weeds. Thin the plants in the narrowed row to 4 to 6 inches between plants. Water. Enjoy!
Stay cool, enjoy your gardens and drink plenty of water while you are outside.
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