Mid-Summer “Must-Do” Gardening Activities…

Since we’re at just about the mid-summer point I thought I’d put together a quick post on some “must-do” gardening activities. This time of year is almost certain to be hot and dry, although this year has been particularly dry. If you’re like me your gardens are struggling mightily and you’re pretty much on what I call “damage-control” duty. So that said, I’ve put together a bunch of activities below that will hopefully keep your garden looking good now, through the fall, and into the spring.

Mid-Summer Activities:

Water: Don’t really need to explain this one, the sun is hot & there’s no rain, so do what you can to help your gardens get water. Just remember don’t over-water; your plants generally need about an inch of water a week.
Deadhead: Like I said at this point you’re on damage control so be sure to do everything possible to give your plants energy including deadheading. Deadheading will hopefully help your flowering plants produce more blooms, and it’ll conserve energy for an overall healthier plant.
Trim Annuals: At this point in the summer my annuals tend to get a little “out-of-hand” so I like to just trim or pinch them back a little bit. This activity will keep your flower beds looking neat, and it’ll promote good growth and blooms for the rest of the summer.
Divide: You should start looking at plants that need to be divided. If your Irises have become large and overcrowded they may need to be divided. Keep in mind Irises do like to grow in groups so don’t thin them out too much.
Weed: Keep up with your weeding. It’s actually easier to weed right now because the ground is so dry.
Plan: Take pictures & notes of your current gardens, as now is a great time to start planning for next year’s garden. It’s likely that the color in your gardens is starting to fade, so taking notes on what you could use and where can give you a great jump on next growing season.

We hope the activities above help your garden grow and flourish through the rest of the summer, and beyond. We’ll be back with some “end-of-summer” tips in a month or so!

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