The summer sun, heat, and humidity have been hard on the garden. By July, many annuals and perennials are at their peak, while others may be beginning to slow down. A little midseason maintenance can keep your landscape healthy, colorful, and thriving through the remainder of summer.
Here are a few simple tasks to keep your garden looking its best:
- Deadhead spent blooms to encourage fresh flowers and extend the blooming season.
- Fertilize warm-season annuals to maintain vigorous growth and continuous blooms. If you applied a slow-release fertilizer with a three-month formulation in the spring, it has likely been exhausted and may need to be reapplied.
- Trim back spent foliage on bulbs and perennials. For example, if spring bulb leaves have turned brown, dry, and shriveled, they can be safely cut back to ground level.
- Monitor regularly for insect pests and diseases. Catching problems early often allows them to be managed without the use of pesticides.
While keeping an eye out for garden pests, remember to look for the beneficial insects as well. Not every leaf-chewing insect is a problem—many are the caterpillars of butterflies and moths that play an important role in our ecosystem. Whenever possible, avoid broad-spectrum insecticides, which can also harm pollinators and other beneficial insects that help keep your garden healthy.
With a little attention now, your landscape will continue to provide beauty and color well into the changing seasons.
