Gardening Tips: July

The Heat is On

 It’s mid-summer and everything is sizzling! Our main objective this month is to keep our gardens – and us – healthy.  Tops on the list is hydration (for both plants and people), weeding, staking, pest control,  and dead-heading. Don’t forget to spend some time sitting in the shade or swinging in a hammock with a chilled glass of iced tea, admiring the results of all your labors.

 The most important tip for July is to get your gardening chores done early, before the heat and humidity make you feel like a wrung-out dishrag. Or, do your gardening in the evening if you’re a night owl. Our long summer days give us plenty of daylight to work with.

 Rain may be scarce, but your plants will need water – morning applications are best. Drip irrigation systems are highly efficient, and surprisingly easy to install.

 Weed weed, weed! Need we say more? Probably not, but we will. Weeds compete with your prized garden veggies and flowers for water and nutrients. Deal with them like you would pain after surgery – stay ahead of it!

 Stake and Tie leggy, droopy plants (like tomatoes) to keep them standing tall and lift flowers and fruits off the ground.

 Scout regularly for pests. Summer heat allows aphids, whiteflies, mites, fungus and mildew to flourish. Use the least toxic, targeted method to address pest damage – checkout UGA’s Pest Management Handbook for Homes and Gardens for specific solutions, including organic treatments.

 Remove dead or spent flowers from plants, including shrubs. Deadheading encourages new blooms and delays seed formation. It also helps your plant look neater and less leggy.

 Visit public gardens or those of friends. You’ll come away inspired, with ideas you want to incorporate into your own piece of paradise.

 Take a bite of a juicy homegrown tomato or a handful of tasty blackberries. You’ll remember why you love gardening!

— Compiled by Master Gardeners Kathy Booker and Nanette O’Hara