Ornamental Plants
- Water! It is hot! Proper watering is a learned skill – learn more here.
- Yes you can still plant stuff! We have roughly 100 days left in the growing season.
- Fertilize shrubs. We carry a variety of organic fertilizers that will nourish the soil and your plants.
- Divide daylilies and irises after they finish blooming.
- Last chance to prune back vigorous late summer and fall blooming perennials by ⅓, in order to promote a shorter plant that is less likely to flop over, and to create more flowers. Examples include Achillea, Asters, Nepeta, Solidago, and more. Try to do this ASAP – the traditional date here is July 4th.
- Prune hedges and shrubs, unless they bloom in the spring.
- Inspect houseplants both indoors and outdoors for pests.
- Be mindful – it is easy to damage or kill trees, shrubs, and other plants with mowers and weed whackers. Consider creating safety barriers with chicken wire or other materials to protect plants.
Edible Plants
- If possible, check the garden daily for produce/fruits that are ready to harvest. Harvest herbs such as basil often, this will promote a bushier habit and provide you with more fresh herbs.
- Check plants at least every 3 days by examining the undersides of their leaves for eggs from pests. If you see any adult pests diligently look for eggs they may have been laying, and use neem oil or horticultural oil in the evenings. Be careful to avoid spraying flowers. We carry neem oil and horticultural oil in our Garden Shop.
- It’s not too early to think about the fall garden, especially towards the end of the month. Consider broccoli, brussels sprouts, collards, and more. Note that pest pressures will be higher this time of year than in spring.
- Monitor tomatoes for health issues. They do need consistent watering to avoid calcium blossom end rot.
- Gardens require 1” of water per week. Avoid using overhead sprinklers if possible, as they can cause disease issues.
- Keep up with weeds before the heat of August comes! You’ll thank yourself later.
- Note that fire blight has been pretty bad this year, thanks to the heavy rains in May. Pears and apples are particularly prone to fire blight. Promptly prune out any diseased plant material you see, by cutting 12-18” deeper into the plant. Be sure to sterilize your pruners between all cuts.
Lawns
- Lawns, like the rest of the garden, need 1” of water per week.