Late Summer Gardening Tips

Late Summer brings the heat but don't be discouraged from a little hard work. Now is the time to harvest your gardens, sow your fall seeds, and maintain your grounds. Work in the mornings, stay hydrated, and don't over exert yourself. Your garden will thank you.

Maintenance:

• Watering: Water your plants in the morning with the dew to lessen your water usage. Saturating the roots of your plants every 5-7 days promotes deep root growth and is much healthier than a daily sprinkle.
• Trimming: Trim back the spent blossoms on your plants. This is referred to as "deadheading" and it promotes new blossom growth and a cleaner appearance. Remove any diseased or damaged leaves to promote healthier plants.
• Mulching: Mulching provides nutrients to the soil as it decays, retains moisture, and helps keep the soil cool. If your mulch layer has decreased below 2-3 inches its time to reapply.
• Composting: Use extra grass clipping, leaves, etc. between your rows or in spent bed to reduce weeds, add nitrogen to the soil, and prepare the soil for your next project.
• Weeding/Pest Control: It's hot and tedious, but make sure you control the garden invaders. Weed your beds to protect their roots, but also keep an eye out for insects and critters. You can use crushed garlic or red pepper mixed with water to spray on your plants once a week to discourage furry robberies. If the problem persists try using live traps and relocate the scoundrels.

Harvests:

• Harvest your produce just prior to their full ripeness. Corn can be starchy or asparagus can be woody if picked too late.
• Harvest your herbs before their bloom when they turn bitter. You can delay herbs bloom by pinching of buds.
• Don't hesitate to cut back your bouquet flowers to make sure you have one last beautiful collection.
• Make sure to remove cucumber or squash vines to prevent mold.

Plantings:

• Weigh the first frost date in your area versus the date to maturity on your seeds to make sure you have enough time.
• Try these fall garden options: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Lettuce, Spinach, Arugula, Carrots, Peas, Kale and Chard.
• Divide or split your perennials filling in holes or gaps in your beds. This combined with composting and bed preparation will give you a full look nest spring.
• If container gardening, split your perennials between containers or transplant and upsize your pots/containers to take account for your plants growth. Don't forget to plan for your plants that you need to bring inside.
• Pick up bulbs at your local garden centers. Flowers like Daffodils take time to establish their roots. Tulips can wait as they take less time to mature.