Pink & white starry flowers of a Pilu clematis are surrounded by the feathery flowers of a pink astilbe.
Garden Chores for July
Honor, a pure white fragrant hybrid tea rose and English lavender.
In This Issue
Bathsheba, a David Austin climbing rose.
Garden Inspections - Sensible Summer Strategies - Heat Stress
Watering Know How - Water Your Trees & Hedges Please - Plants That Like Dry Soil - Drought Tolerant Plants
July Lawn Care - Hungry Plants & Annuals - Peonies, Cuttings & Deadheading
What to Prune Now & What Not To - Pruning Fruit Trees, Grapes & Clematis
July in the Veggie Garden - Tomato Time - Potatoes, Onions, Shallots & Garlic
Harvesting& Winter Veggies - Plant Eating Beetles & Powdery Mildew - July Roses
Aid & Abet Pollinators - Planter TLC
July Garden Stars - July Flower Arrangement - Plant of the Month: Gladiolus
Watering Know How - Water Your Trees & Hedges Please - Plants That Like Dry Soil - Drought Tolerant Plants
July Lawn Care - Hungry Plants & Annuals - Peonies, Cuttings & Deadheading
What to Prune Now & What Not To - Pruning Fruit Trees, Grapes & Clematis
July in the Veggie Garden - Tomato Time - Potatoes, Onions, Shallots & Garlic
Harvesting& Winter Veggies - Plant Eating Beetles & Powdery Mildew - July Roses
Aid & Abet Pollinators - Planter TLC
July Garden Stars - July Flower Arrangement - Plant of the Month: Gladiolus
Fellow Gardeners..
Summer flowers fill the garden with colour.
Hello Fellow Gardeners,
July is such a beautiful month. The garden is still energized and lacks the weariness of August. Cosmos, sunflowers, zinnias and other heat loving annuals finally have their moment in the sun. Roses are still pumping out their irresistible beautiful blossoms, and the veggie garden has traded in it’s half baked lettuce for deliciously sweet tomatoes – yummy! The tapestry of the garden changes in July when summer’s vibrantly coloured flowers get their time to shine. Dahlias, callas, gladiolus, cannas lilies and other summer bulbs turn heads with their bold, bodacious, exquisite and vibrant blossoms, and rightfully so. Sure, there’s lots to do out there, but the rewards are worth it. The free, fresh organic produce is fabulous, and so are bouquets of summer’s flora. Enjoy your summer garden. Cheers, Amanda July's Arrangement
July 2026
July flowers features hosta flowers and three types of hydrangeas. For a numbered guide to the specific flower names and for other arrangements go to Monthly Flower Arrangements.
Gift Certificates
Get the perfect gift for gardeners and non-gardeners alike with a gift certificate for a personal garden consultation. In the two-hour consultation their gardening questions are answered such as how to lower maintenance, landscape design, trouble shooting, plant ID, lawn care, veggie gardening and other garden related issues. A $200.00 value. Serving Metro Vancouver. Click here to fill out the form.
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Water Restrictions
Watering lawns is banned in Metro Vancouver this summer.
Metro Vancouver has enacted Stage 3 water restrictions. Watering lawns is prohibited. For gardens, trees & shrubs, hand water and/or use drip irrigation. Soaker hoses and sprinklers are not permitted. Do not fill or top up ponds, fountains, pools and waterfalls. Washing vehicles is also prohibited except for mirrors, lights, windows, license plates and boat engines. Pressure washing is allowed only to prepare a surface for painting, as well as for health and safety reasons.
For more details click on Water Restrictions. Tropical Plants
Delve into the world of tropical shrubs with the reference book Ornamental Tropical Shrubs. It features beautiful colour pictures for each plant as well as point form information on suitable growing conditions and all their features. Available at Amazon.ca and Amazon.com.
July's Plant of the Month
Gladiolus
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July Garden Stars
Catalpa, deciduous tree, 50' - 70' x 20 - 40', fragrant flowers, bears long seed pods, sun. Zones 4 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Dappled willow, Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki', deciduous grafted shrub, colourful foliage, 4' - 6' x 5 to 7ft, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 7.
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Sweet Rosy Oriental hybrid lily, summer flowering bulb, 32-44”, sun, part shade, fragrant. Zones 3-8
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Feverfew, Tanacetum parthenium, short-lived herbaceous perennial, 1’-3’x1’-2’, sun, self seeds. USDA Zones 5 to 8.
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Delphinium, herbaceous perennial, 4’-6’ x 2’-3’, full sun. Zones 3 to 7. Click on pic for more.
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Adam’s needle, Yucca filamentosa, broadleaf evergreen, June to July, 4’ to 8’ x 2’ to 3’, sun. Zones 5 to 10.
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Tutsan, sweet-amber, Hypericum androsaemum, deciduous shrub, 2-3’, sun, part shade, yellow blooms, red berries. Zones 5 to 8.
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Cape fuchsia, Phygelius capensis, herbaceous perennial or sub shrub, 2’–3’ x 2’, sun to part shade, yellow or pink. Zones 6 to 9.
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Peruvian lily, Alstroemeria, tuberous herbaceous perennial, sun to part sun, 1 -3’ x 1 -2’. Zones 8 to 10. Click on the pic for more.
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Lucifer montbretia, Crocosmia 'Lucifer', herbaceous perennial, sun to part shade, 2 - 3' x 1 - 2'. Zones 5 to 9.
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Sweet pepperbush/summersweet, Clethra alnifolia 'Vanilla Spice', fragrant deciduous shrub, 3' to 6' tall & wide, sun to part shade. Zones 4 to 8.
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English lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, semi-evergreen sub-shrub, fragrant, sun, 1 -3’. Zones 5 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
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Persian silk tree/mimosa, Albizia julibrissin, deciduous tree, 16 to 52', fragrant, sun and dry soil. Zones 6 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
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Kousa dogwood, Cornus kousa, deciduous tree, 15-24’ x 15-20’, fall colour, reddish tasteless but edible fruit, sun to light shade. Zones 5-8.
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Hardy Fuchsia, F. magellanica, tender deciduous shrub, 4' to 8' , part shade. Zones 6 to 9.
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Patty's Purple hebe, H. buxifolia 'Patty's Purple', broadleaf evergreen shrub, sun, 2'-3' x 1-2'. Zones 9 to 10.
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Bear's breeches, Acanthus mollis, herbaceous perennial, 3’-5’ x 2-3’, sun to part shade. Zones 7 to 11. Click on the pic for more.
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Shasta daisy, Leucanthemum × superbum, herbaceous perennial, 18” to 2’ x 12” to 18”, sun to part shade. Zones 4 to 9.
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‘Black Lace’ elderberry, Sambucus nigra, deciduous shrub, 6’-8’, fragrant, June, July, black edible berries, sun to part shade. Zones 4 to 7. Click on pic for more.
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Astilbes, herbaceous perennials, 6in to 4ft, moist shade. Zones 3 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
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Yellow wax bells, Kirengeshoma palmata, herbaceous perennials, 3’ to 4’ x 2’ to 3’, June to July, part to full shade. Zones 5 to 8.
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'Royal Purple' smokebush, Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple', deciduous shrub, 10-15’ x 15’- 20’. Sun, part shade. Zones 4 to 8. Click on the pic for more.
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Lychnis coronaria, catchfly, rose campion, evergreen herbaceous perennial, 2 to 3 ft, sun, May to July, drought tolerant, self-sows. Zones 4 to 8.
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Betony, Stachys monieri 'Hummelo', herbaceous perennial, 1.5 to 2 ft., July to September, sun. Zones 4 to 8.
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Daylily, Hemerocallis spp., herbaceous perennial, 10”-12” tall & wide, sun, part shade. Zones 2 to 9. Click on pic for more.
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Lupins, Lupinus x hybridus, herbaceous perennial, 3’ – 4’ x 1’ – 1.5’, sun. Zones 4 to 8.
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Japanese Stewartia, Stewartia pseudocamellia, deciduous tree, 20 - 40' x 10 - 25', sun, part shade. Zones 5-8. Click on the pic for more.
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July Garden Chores
Click on the coloured links to be redirected.
Visit Your Garden
Summer flowers.
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It's time to harvest.
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Daily garden inspections are a delight as dahlias, roses, petunias and other summer flora set gardens ablaze with their vibrant colours and fancy flowers. Visits to the veggie patch is a daily event as harvesting begins in earnest. Sadly plant eating bugs, diseases and weeds are not taking a summer vacation, especially when plants are suffering from the heat and dry weather.
Sensible Summer Strategies
Bare soil has no protection from the elements.
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An organic mulch has many benefits.
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Recycled wood chip mulch.
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Bagged mulch is convenient.
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Don't prune struggling plants.
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It’s surprising to see how quickly bare soil dries out even after a good soaking, so it makes sense to protect it from the elements. A 3 inch layer of mulch placed on top of the ground and around all your plants insulates the soil from temperature extremes. It also prevents weeds taking hold, provides nutrition and reduces erosion. Here’s more on Drought Gardening, and Mulch & Mulching.
What Not to Do: Avoid pruning, planting, transplanting and fertilizing when the temperature rises above 29°C (85°F). Under normal conditions plants recover quickly, but not so when it’s gets too darn hot.
What Not to Do: Avoid pruning, planting, transplanting and fertilizing when the temperature rises above 29°C (85°F). Under normal conditions plants recover quickly, but not so when it’s gets too darn hot.
Heat Stress
Sun damage on a Korean lilac.
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Place drip lines & soaker hose close together.
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A brolly shades heat-stressed plants.
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Create shade, plant a tree.
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Heat Stress: When temperatures climb, plants suffer even if they have enough water. Typical symptoms include wilting, cupped and rolled leaves, brown dried-out leaf margins as well as reduced flower and fruit production as staying alive is more important than reproduction.
Provide Shade: Give them a temporary respite by shading them with an umbrella or cover them with a dollar store trellis covered with landscape fabric, tarp or a towel. Consider planting trees and/or large shrubs in autumn in preparation for next year. Position them to block the sun from the west and/or north side of the garden.
Provide Shade: Give them a temporary respite by shading them with an umbrella or cover them with a dollar store trellis covered with landscape fabric, tarp or a towel. Consider planting trees and/or large shrubs in autumn in preparation for next year. Position them to block the sun from the west and/or north side of the garden.
Watering Know-How
Apply water to the soil not the air or the foliage.
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A good quality hose makes watering easier.
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Use this nozzle for driveways not the garden.
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The shower setting on garden nozzles are efficient and plant friendly.
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Water early in the day so it doesn’t evaporate before it reaches the ground. However, don’t wait to water wilting plants as they may never recover. Daily watering is unnecessary if you water correctly. Wafting the hose in the air or just watering the leaves is not effective. Water the base of the plant and the surrounding soil. Allow the water to puddle a few times before moving on to the next plant. Dig down to see how far the water has penetrated. It should penetrate to at least 4 inches as too little water results in shallow roots that easily dry out. Here's more on Watering Tips & Techniques.
Make Hand watering Easier: Crappy, cheap hoses make watering an ordeal. Spend your money on a good quality durable, light and flexible garden hose that will last for years. For convenience, have individual hoses for each outdoor faucet. Purchase nozzles for watering plants, not cleaning the driveway. Your plants will thank you.
Use Timers: For areas that allow the use of garden sprinklers, attach a simple timer to your outdoor faucet. Program the sprinklers to come on for an hour 2 to 3 times a week.
Make Hand watering Easier: Crappy, cheap hoses make watering an ordeal. Spend your money on a good quality durable, light and flexible garden hose that will last for years. For convenience, have individual hoses for each outdoor faucet. Purchase nozzles for watering plants, not cleaning the driveway. Your plants will thank you.
Use Timers: For areas that allow the use of garden sprinklers, attach a simple timer to your outdoor faucet. Program the sprinklers to come on for an hour 2 to 3 times a week.
Water Your Trees & Hedges Please
Water along a tree's dripline, not the trunk.
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Conifers also suffer from drought.
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A thirsty cedar, arborvitae.
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Don't forget to water your hedges.
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Thirsty trees take on a silver cast.
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A drooping katsura tree,
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Trees and hedges are often overlooked when watering the garden. Thirsty plants take on a pale, silvery hue as leaves leaves fold inward exposing their paler undersides. If the stress continues, leaves yellow and their edges turn brown and crispy before falling off.
Watering Trees: Water the entire perimeter of the plants’ canopy (dripline) so the soil becomes thoroughly moist. To ensure they are thoroughly watered, dig down to see how far the water went. Don't forget street trees around your property. They have a tough time all year, especially in the summer.
Watering Trees: Water the entire perimeter of the plants’ canopy (dripline) so the soil becomes thoroughly moist. To ensure they are thoroughly watered, dig down to see how far the water went. Don't forget street trees around your property. They have a tough time all year, especially in the summer.
Plants That Don't Like Dry Soil
Rhododendrons
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Tulip trees
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Hydrangeas
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Maple trees.
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Dogwoods
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Flowering cherries.
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Willows
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Any plant that doesn't like dry conditions will show their discontent with yellow, brown crispy leaves, stunted growth and lack vigour. Know the dry spots in your garden and select plants accordingly. Water existing plants deeply and to hold the moisture within the soil, it's essential to lay a 3 inch layer of an organic mulch on top of the soil. To further expand the soil's ability to absorb water, mix in a few inches of compost, foliage and other organic matter. Plants that don't like dry soil includes rhododendrons, willows, mountain ash, birches, hydrangeas, tulip trees, skimmias, Japanese stewartias, sweet gum trees, dogwoods & maple trees. For a more complete list click on Drought Gardening.
Drought Tolerant Plants
Lavenders
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Pea shrubs
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Smokebushes
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Yarrows
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Establish new plants by watering by hand every 2 to 3 days. Ease up on the water once new growth emerges, then water every two weeks or monthly depending on the needs of the plant and the weather. Once established water deeply once a month or more often if needed. Drought tolerant plants include cone flowers, yarrows, red-hot pokers, smokebushes, ninebarks, burning bushes, butterfly bushes, lavenders, thyme, sage, sedums, yuccas, honeysuckles, wisterias, pea shrubs (Caragana), Russian olives, junipers & pines. For a more complete list click on Drought Gardening.
July Lawn Care
Keep the grass long during the summer.
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This lawn was mowed too short.
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Longer grass prevents lawn grubs.
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Weeds invade dry, sparse lawns.
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In Canada as with the rest of the northern hemisphere, cool season grasses (fescues, Kentucky bluegrass, & perennial ryegrass) grow brilliantly in spring and fall but take a siesta when temperatures rise to 24°C (75°F). Despite the lack of growth, lawns still need precious water. Sadly, it’s in short supply during the summer. In locations where there’s no lawn watering restrictions, give them at least an inch of water a week.
During the summer, mow high at 3 inches. The longer grass blades cool and shade the soil, deters adult grubs from laying their eggs in the grass and creates longer roots for a healthier lawn. Caution: Don’t apply fertilizer to lawns that haven’t been watered and are dry. Wait until autumn when the weather is cooler and wetter to renovate and install new lawns. Here's more info on lawn care: Lawn Care Basics - Lawn Maintenance Schedule - Mossy Lawns - Lawn Reno, Seed & Sod - Lawn Grub Control - Lawn Alternatives
During the summer, mow high at 3 inches. The longer grass blades cool and shade the soil, deters adult grubs from laying their eggs in the grass and creates longer roots for a healthier lawn. Caution: Don’t apply fertilizer to lawns that haven’t been watered and are dry. Wait until autumn when the weather is cooler and wetter to renovate and install new lawns. Here's more info on lawn care: Lawn Care Basics - Lawn Maintenance Schedule - Mossy Lawns - Lawn Reno, Seed & Sod - Lawn Grub Control - Lawn Alternatives
Hungry Plants & Annuals
An iron & nitrogen deficiency.
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A hungry & unhappy rhododendron.
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The leaf on the right lacks nitrogen.
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Deadhead petunias.
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Yellow Plants? Plants that lack vigour, are yellow and are not growing are probably hungry. Feed them with an organic fertilizer such as kelp, fish or use good old compost. Bagged compost is available where garden products are sold. For more on fertilizing select Feeding Plants 101 - Fertilizers & Ratios - Nutritional Deficiencies & Toxicities - Organic Plant Food
Bedding Plants/Annuals: Remove dead and dying impatiens, petunias, and other annuals. Revive ones that have finished flowering by cutting their stems back by half to encourage more flowers and to increase their lifespan. To speed their recovery, give them water and feed them with a high nitrogen fertilizer such as fish or kelp plant food.
Bedding Plants/Annuals: Remove dead and dying impatiens, petunias, and other annuals. Revive ones that have finished flowering by cutting their stems back by half to encourage more flowers and to increase their lifespan. To speed their recovery, give them water and feed them with a high nitrogen fertilizer such as fish or kelp plant food.
Peonies, Cuttings, Deadheading
Remove infected peony leaves.
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Select stems that bend but don't break.
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Cut stems just below a node.
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A Japanese spirea needs deadheading.
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After deadheading.
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Peonies & Leaf Blotch : Cut off dead flowers & seed pods then remove all brown discoloured leaves as they are infected with peony leaf blotch, aka peony measles. There is no control for this common peony for more info click on Peony Blotch.
Cuttings: Take cuttings from your favourite rose shrubs, trees and vines with semi-hardwood cuttings. Select stems that bend without breaking. For more on taking cuttings click here.
Cuttings: Take cuttings from your favourite rose shrubs, trees and vines with semi-hardwood cuttings. Select stems that bend without breaking. For more on taking cuttings click here.
What to Prune Now & What Not To
Don't prune drought stressed plants.
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It's too late prune spring flowering shrubs.
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Cut back wisterias.
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Remove all dead branches.
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Don't wait to remove suckers.
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Refrain from pruning any plant that is suffering from heat stress, drought and preferably before temps reach 29°C (85°F).
Prune fruit trees, wisterias and grapes before September. Summer pruning encourages flowers & fruit while taming growth. It's too late to prune lilacs and other spring flowering plants. When doing any pruning only remove ¼ of overall growth this dead. This does not include dead, diseased, broken branches and suckers. Remove them any time of year. Here's more detail on pruning: For more on pruning click on Pruning Basics 101 - Pruning Tools.
After Pruning: Help plants recover quickly from their surgery. Water well and feed with kelp, fish, compost or another organic fertilizer high in nitrogen (the first number).
Prune fruit trees, wisterias and grapes before September. Summer pruning encourages flowers & fruit while taming growth. It's too late to prune lilacs and other spring flowering plants. When doing any pruning only remove ¼ of overall growth this dead. This does not include dead, diseased, broken branches and suckers. Remove them any time of year. Here's more detail on pruning: For more on pruning click on Pruning Basics 101 - Pruning Tools.
After Pruning: Help plants recover quickly from their surgery. Water well and feed with kelp, fish, compost or another organic fertilizer high in nitrogen (the first number).
Pruning Fruit Trees, Grapes & Clematis
Thin fruit.
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A fruiting spur.
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Cut back side shoots.
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Thin grape clusters.
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Prune some clematis, not all.
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Deadhead shrubs.
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Apple & Pear Trees: Shorten overly long branches to just above a side branch or bud (node). For higher yields, cut back side branches to 2 to 4 buds (nodes). These remaining stubby stems will revert to fruiting spurs in a couple of years. Thin fruit so they don’t touch and remove all suckers.
Grape Vines: Cut back side stems to 2 to 4 buds (nodes). For larger but fewer grapes, thin clusters to one foot so they are a foot apart. For more information on pruning grapes click on Pruning Grapes.
Pruning Clematis: Too much shade and pruning at the wrong time of year are the two reasons why clematis fail to flower. If it’s receiving at least 6 hours of direct sun per day, then you’re cutting it back at the wrong time of year. If that’s the case, don’t prune it just secure it to their support. To learn more about pruning clematis click on Pruning Clematis and Evergreen Clematis and Montana Clematis.
Grape Vines: Cut back side stems to 2 to 4 buds (nodes). For larger but fewer grapes, thin clusters to one foot so they are a foot apart. For more information on pruning grapes click on Pruning Grapes.
Pruning Clematis: Too much shade and pruning at the wrong time of year are the two reasons why clematis fail to flower. If it’s receiving at least 6 hours of direct sun per day, then you’re cutting it back at the wrong time of year. If that’s the case, don’t prune it just secure it to their support. To learn more about pruning clematis click on Pruning Clematis and Evergreen Clematis and Montana Clematis.
July in the Veggie Garden
A bountiful July harvest.
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Visit your veggie garden daily.
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Water restrictions don't apply to veggie gardens.
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Mulch veggie beds.
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Visit daily to harvest, weed, water thirsty plants (Vancouver water restrictions don’t include edibles), fertilize hungry crops and to control plant eating bugs. If weeds and frequent watering is an issue, use a layer of straw or torn up newspapers as a mulch between plants. Since straw is hard to come by this time of year, remember to pick a few bales up in autumn.
Tomato Time
Ripe and ready to pick.
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Keep soil evenly moist to prevent splitting.
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Blossom end rot .
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Potted tomatoes need lots of TLC.
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Epsom salts have many benefits.
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Remove suckers.
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Expose hidden tomatoes.
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Cut overly long stems above fruit.
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Remove infected tomatoes asap.
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Tomatoes: Keep the soil evenly moist to prevent fruit from cracking and blossom end rot. Keep water off the foliage to prevent diseases. Feed with a high phosphorous fertilizer (high middle number: 6-8-6). To speedup ripening, mix 1 to 2 tablespoons of Epsom salts in one gallon of water. Apply as a soil drench or mist the foliage with the solution for quicker results. Speeding up Tomato Harvest
Tomato Pruning: Remove suckers that grow at the base of a leaf. Cut back leaves that shade the ripening tomatoes. To tame overly long stems, cut them back just above a fruit or flower cluster. Taming Tomatoes & here's my YouTube Video on Taming Tomatoes.
Container Grown Tomatoes: Keep them well fed and watered. Without proper care, potted tomatoes fall prey to blossom end rot, fruit splitting, diseases, insects and are flavourless. Use a drainage trays under pots so nutrients and water don’t wash away.
Here's more information on how to grow tomatoes: Tomato Tips - The Life of Tomato Seedlings to Plants - Tomato Troubles - Saving Tomato Seeds - The Trouble with Tomatoes
Tomato Pruning: Remove suckers that grow at the base of a leaf. Cut back leaves that shade the ripening tomatoes. To tame overly long stems, cut them back just above a fruit or flower cluster. Taming Tomatoes & here's my YouTube Video on Taming Tomatoes.
Container Grown Tomatoes: Keep them well fed and watered. Without proper care, potted tomatoes fall prey to blossom end rot, fruit splitting, diseases, insects and are flavourless. Use a drainage trays under pots so nutrients and water don’t wash away.
Here's more information on how to grow tomatoes: Tomato Tips - The Life of Tomato Seedlings to Plants - Tomato Troubles - Saving Tomato Seeds - The Trouble with Tomatoes
Potatoes, Garlic, Onions & Shallots
Hill soil potato plants.
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Harvest new potatoes when they flower.
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Wait for garlic foliage to brown before harvesting.
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Cure garlic before storing.
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Potatoes: Bury their stems as they grow to increase yields. Cover exposed spuds so they don’t turn green. Baby potatoes are ready to harvest when flowers appear. There’s no need to dig up the plant, just reach in and pull them out. To learn more about growing potatoes click here.
Onions, garlic, shallots: For larger bulbs, cut off flowers as soon as they appear. Stop watering garlic, onions & shallots when their leaves turn yellow. Dig up garlic when the bottom leaves turn brown and the remaining foliage turns yellow. To cure bulbs place in a shaded, dry, cool place, away from sun for a few weeks. This tightens the outer layers, which protects the bulb. Once cured, store in a dry, cool and dark location.
Onions, garlic, shallots: For larger bulbs, cut off flowers as soon as they appear. Stop watering garlic, onions & shallots when their leaves turn yellow. Dig up garlic when the bottom leaves turn brown and the remaining foliage turns yellow. To cure bulbs place in a shaded, dry, cool place, away from sun for a few weeks. This tightens the outer layers, which protects the bulb. Once cured, store in a dry, cool and dark location.
Harvesting & Winter Veggie Gardening
Wait for green peppers to ripen.
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Remove the lower leaves on pepper plants.
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Small broccoli heads replace the main crop.
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Plant your winter veggies.
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Peppers: To increase hasten ripening and more fruit, remove all lower leaves when flowers appear. When peppers form, remove any leaves that cover the fruit. Harvest when peppers ripen to yellow, orange or red.
Harvest: Daily harvesting ensures fresh produce picked at their prime. Small zucchinis may not look impressive, but they are much tastier than any giant ones. Scarlet runner beans are edible when small, but tough and woody when left too long. Cut off heads of broccoli just above a leaf as new ones with grow from the remaining stem. To learn more about when and how to harvest crops click here.
Plant Your Winter Veggies: Select sunny area for your winter garden where the soil drains well. Protect plantings from insects in summer and keep them warm in winter with a cloche. Sow broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cilantro, kohlrabi, kale and cabbage. Plant seed potatoes now to harvest in December.
For more click on Winter Veggie Gardening or Cloches - Growing Food - Crop Rotation, Succession & Companion Planting - Harvesting - Growing Potatoes
Harvest: Daily harvesting ensures fresh produce picked at their prime. Small zucchinis may not look impressive, but they are much tastier than any giant ones. Scarlet runner beans are edible when small, but tough and woody when left too long. Cut off heads of broccoli just above a leaf as new ones with grow from the remaining stem. To learn more about when and how to harvest crops click here.
Plant Your Winter Veggies: Select sunny area for your winter garden where the soil drains well. Protect plantings from insects in summer and keep them warm in winter with a cloche. Sow broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cilantro, kohlrabi, kale and cabbage. Plant seed potatoes now to harvest in December.
For more click on Winter Veggie Gardening or Cloches - Growing Food - Crop Rotation, Succession & Companion Planting - Harvesting - Growing Potatoes
Plant Eating Beetles & Powdery Mildew
A ten-lined beetle. Click on pick for more.
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Japanese beetle damage. Click on pic for more.
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Beetle damage on a bean leaf.
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Powdery mildew on zucchini.
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Control powdery mildew organically.
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Japanese, Colorado beetles and ten-lined beetles turn foliage of potatoes, beans, apple trees any many other plants into lace. The drier and hotter the weather, the more become a problem. To learn more click on Japanese beetles, Ten-lined June beetles. Handpick if you’re not squeamish and place in a cup of soapy, salted water. Spray with neem oil or pyrethrin, grow companion plants near susceptible crops and rotate crops next year to further deter infestation.
Powdery Mildew: White powder on cucumbers, melons, squash, roses, garden phlox and other plants is a fungus called powdery mildew. Keep water off leaves and don’t allow soil to dry out. To control this fungus, click here for two safe, organic sprays made from baking soda or milk.
Powdery Mildew: White powder on cucumbers, melons, squash, roses, garden phlox and other plants is a fungus called powdery mildew. Keep water off leaves and don’t allow soil to dry out. To control this fungus, click here for two safe, organic sprays made from baking soda or milk.
July Roses
Deadhead roses.
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A 5 leaflet leaf.
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Aphids love rose buds.
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Sawfly damage.
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Leaf cutter bees cause minor damage.
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Remove leaves with black spot.
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Rose Bloom Balling.
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July Rose Care: For more blossoms, deadhead roses regularly. Cut canes just above a leaf with 5 to 7 leaflets that face away from the plant. Water deeply after each flush of bloom and fertilize with kelp plant food or another organic fertilizer. Keep the soil moist as ants form nests among their roots in dry soil. Top it off with a 3-inch layer of mulch.
Black spot on Roses: Remove infected leaves from the soil and plant. Follow up with an application with organic fungicides: neem oil, sulfur and coppercide. Leaf cutter bees are responsible for cutting half moon shapes out of rose leaves. These beneficial little wasps are important pollinators.
For more info click on Roses 101 - Rose Insect & Diseases - Types of Roses - Easy Roses - Pruning Roses - Rose Sawfly - Rose Bloom Balling
Black spot on Roses: Remove infected leaves from the soil and plant. Follow up with an application with organic fungicides: neem oil, sulfur and coppercide. Leaf cutter bees are responsible for cutting half moon shapes out of rose leaves. These beneficial little wasps are important pollinators.
For more info click on Roses 101 - Rose Insect & Diseases - Types of Roses - Easy Roses - Pruning Roses - Rose Sawfly - Rose Bloom Balling
Aid & Abet Pollinators
Bees love radish flowers.
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Carrot flowers attract pollinators.
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Lettuce flowers. Click on pic for more.
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A shallow dish of water for pollinators.
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Lay out a shallow dish with pebbles and clean water and allow a few carrots, broccoli, lettuce, beets, radishes to flower as many beneficial insects love their simple blossoms. As a bonus, you get free seeds from all those pollinators doing their thing. For more click on Harvesting Seeds & Helping Pollinators.
Planter TLC
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That looks better.
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Planters: It doesn’t take long for potted plants to bake in the summer sun. If possible, move them to a shadier location, use an umbrella or a tarp on a trellis. Water plants thoroughly so it dribbles out of the drainage hole into a drainage tray. To rejuvenate wilted baskets and containers, submerge them in a bucket of water. Remove it after the bubbling stops. Place in a shady location until the plants revive. Container Growing
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THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
Click on the links below to be redirected.
for the tropical Gardener
While working in Florida as horticultural consultant, it became apparent that there was a need for a book on tropical shrubs. There are so many wonderful shrubs to choose from, so I wrote a reference book to make the selections easier. Ornamental Tropical Shrubs includes pictures in full colour and information about the plants in point form. So if you live in the tropics and subtropics and need a reference book on tropical shrubs, or you just want to have a look-see click here.
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