We’ve reached the truly scorching segment of summer – when you spend most of your time relaxing inside in air conditioning or sitting in the shade with a cold lemonade. Remember that unlike you, your garden can’t sojourn indoors when the temperature skyrockets. To keep your plants healthy and thriving, use the summer gardening tips below.
Summer Gardening Tips
Give thirsty plants a drink of water.
Although plants need the sun to grow, the sun’s intensity in the summer can dry out the soil, scorch the leaves, and stress the plant out (seriously). So it’s important that you watch the forecast for droughts and check on your plants frequently to see if they’re thirsty. To do this, simply stick your finger into the soil up to the middle joint. If it’s wet or damp, the plants are hydrated. If it’s dry, you need to water them.
Remember that on very hot, sunny days, you may need to water your garden twice. Some experts recommend watering fewer times each week (perhaps just twice) but giving them plenty of water each time. In addition, try to water in the morning so that the water has a chance to seep into the soil. If you water in the afternoon, a lot of the moisture will evaporate. If you water in the evening, the moisture won’t evaporate, but it may encourage the growth of fungus.
Prune your plants to encourage new growth.
Pruning dead flowers (also known as deadheading) is a great way to encourage your plants to continue blooming. Perennials typically bloom for four to eight weeks, but you can coax them to bloom a second time if you deadhead (as it sends a signal to the plant that more seeds are needed). Although annuals bloom throughout the season, deadheading is effective on those plants that don’t self-clean. You can also cut your annuals back four to six inches to encourage new, healthy growth if they’re looking a bit unpleasant.
Fertilize more frequently.
Although your garden will need more watering during the summer, all that water combined with strong sunlight and high temperatures can cause your plants to lose nutrients. To help your plants recoup from this loss, fertilize more frequently. Beware of over-fertilizing, however, as this can also cause stress for your plants. Try fertilizing more frequently but using less fertilizer (half of what the product recommends).
Move plants into the shade.
One of the wonderful things about planting in containers is that the plants are mobile. So if you have potted plants in a bright, sunny area and they’re getting scorched by the sun, try moving them to a partly sunny spot or even full-on shade on days when the sun is particularly potent.
If you don’t already know if your plants prefer full sun, partial sun, partial shade, or full shade, now is a great time to find out. This is why it’s always a good idea to keep those little tags that come with the plants you purchase.
Keep an eye out for pests.
Bugs run rampant in the summer, so keep an eye out for beetles, ants, ticks, spiders, wasps, and more. If you find bugs that concern you, first identify the insects in question and then research effective methods of evicting them from your garden.
Don’t let weeds get out of control.
Weeds grow quickly in the summer, and they aren’t just an aesthetic concern; they steal moisture and nutrients from the plants in your garden, and some even encourage pests and disease. Try to pull out weeds when they’re still young and small. If you’re struggling to pull out the whole weeds, try weeding when the soil is moist.
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Summer is a wonderful time for gardening, but if you aren’t careful, your garden may suffer from parched soil, overgrown weeds, and pesky bugs. Use our summer gardening tips to keep your garden healthy and thriving all season long.
At Springhouse Village, we know how important it is to enjoy your retirement in a lively and welcoming environment. We make it easy for our residents to be active participants in our community. Whether that means encouraging residents to shop at local farmers markets or assisting them in starting a garden club, we strive to help our residents thrive. To learn more about the amenities and services we offer, contact Springhouse Village today.