'Ketchup & Mustard', a floribunda rose.
JULy's Garden Chores
The Great Masterwort (Astrantia major) is a perennial that grows in sun to part shade.
New Videos on Climbing Roses: How to Deadhead & Train: Part 1 and Part 2
Summer Rose Care - Taking Cuttings - Summer Watering - Plants That Shouldn't Dry Out
In the Veggie Garden - Garden Inspections - Potato & Tomato Blight - Composting
Peony Measles - July Tomato Care - Tomato Troubles - Sow Flower Seeds - Powdery Mildew
Going on Vacation - July introduction - July Garden Stars
July Garden Chores - July Lawn Care - July Plant Combo - Plant Police - July Arrangement
Water Restrictions - Ornamental Tropical Shrubs - Plant of the Month: Daylilies
Summer Rose Care - Taking Cuttings - Summer Watering - Plants That Shouldn't Dry Out
In the Veggie Garden - Garden Inspections - Potato & Tomato Blight - Composting
Peony Measles - July Tomato Care - Tomato Troubles - Sow Flower Seeds - Powdery Mildew
Going on Vacation - July introduction - July Garden Stars
July Garden Chores - July Lawn Care - July Plant Combo - Plant Police - July Arrangement
Water Restrictions - Ornamental Tropical Shrubs - Plant of the Month: Daylilies
'Julia Child' a floribunda rose is surrounded by the chartreuse flowers of a lady's mantle (Alchemilla mollis)
July Intro
A shady nook underneath the canopy of a weeping katsura is a perfect hideaway.
Hello Fellow Gardeners,
There’s nothing like a heatwave to make you realize how important water is. With record breaking temperatures along most of the western North America, June proved to be a scorcher. Heat loving plants such as roses, California lilacs, tomatoes and peppers liked the humid tropical weather, however, many plants were seriously injured. Alas, some may not survive, especially those that didn’t receive any water. It was so sad to see plants wilt, even those that were watered; they just couldn’t handle being fried by unrelenting sun. I felt the same way despite the gallons of water I was imbibing. Although I tried my best to keep plants happy by watering them and shading them, it was difficult to keep up. Handwatering became a daily chore, making me wither in the process. And if I missed any, their lifeless little bodies made me feel so guilty I was out there again with the garden hose. Thank goodness, the heatwave has passed. Will another come back? I wouldn’t be surprised at all. Usually July in the garden means that all we have to do is maintain the status quo. Summer in temperate coastal British Columbia is usually dry, but temperatures are nice and mild. This makes for happy plant and contented gardeners. If last month is anything to go by, I think gardeners are going to be put to the test as we deal with weather extremes. I hope I am wrong and the weather cooperates for gardeners and farmers everywhere. No weird and wacky weather – please! Take care out there and stay cool. Happy gardening. Cheers, Amanda Checkout my Facebook page
The recurved petals of a tiger lily.
An unrelenting heat wave has damaged this hosta's foliage.
Although these sunburned leaves look unsightly on this fried hosta, it's better to keep them on the plant. Removing them will expose the tender and protected leaves underneath. Besides, it's only July, summer is not over yet!
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Amanda's Garden Blog
A regal lily, aka royal lily.
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Pink climbing roses.
July Garden Stars
Lupins, Lupinus x hybridus, herbaceous perennial, 3’ – 4’ x 1’ – 1.5’, flowers May to July, sun, attracts butterflies. Zones 4 to 8
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Acanthus mollis, bear's breeches, herbaceous perennial, 3'-5' x 2'-3', sun to part shade. Zones 7 to 10.
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'King Arthur' Delphinium Pacific Giants, herbaceous perennial, 4’-6’ x 2’-3’, flowers from June to July, attracts hummingbirds and butterflies, needs good drainage and full sun. Zones 3 to 7
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'Phyllis Smith' shasta daisy, Leucanthemum × superbum 'Phyllis Smith', herbaceous perennial, 18” to 2’ x 12” to 18”, attracts butterflies, sun to part shade. Zones 4 to 9.
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Kanika Peruvian lily, Alstroemeria 'Inticancha Kanika', tuberous herbaceous perennial, sun to part sun, 1 -3’ x 1 -2’. Zones 8 to 10.
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Sweet pepperbush/summersweet, Clethra alnifolia 'Vanilla Spice', fragrant deciduous shrub, 3' to 6' tall & wide, likes moist soil, sun to part shade. Zones 4 to 8.
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Lucifer montbretia, Crocosmia 'Lucifer', herbaceous perennial, sun to part shade, 2 - 3' x 1 - 2', attracts butterflies, hummingbirds. Zones 5 to 9.
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Dappled willow, Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki', deciduous shrub grafted onto a single stem, 4 to 6 ft x 5 to 7ft, grown for its white, pink and green foliage, catkins in April to May, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 7.
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Hardy fuchsia, Fuchsia magellanica, tender deciduous shrub, 4' to 8' tall and wide, partial shade, prefers moist soil, attracts butterflies & hummingbirds. Zones 6 to 9.
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Casa Blanca Oriental hybrid lily, bulb, sun, fragrant 6'' to 8" flowers July, 3 to 4' tall. Zones 5 to 8.
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French California lilac, Ceanothus Gloire de Versailles, broadleaf evergreen, fragrant blue flowers in summer, 4’- 6’ tall and wide, sun to light shade, attracts butterflies. Zones 6 to 9
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Albizia julibrissin, Persian silk tree/mimosa, decidous tree, 16 to 52', fragrant, sun and dry soil. Zones 6 to 9. Click on the pic for more.
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Oakleaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia, deciduous shrub, 6' to 8' tall and wide, flowers mature to pink and persist into winter, plum fall foliage colour, sun to part shade. Zones 5 to 9.
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Cape fuchsia, Phygelius capensis, herbaceous perennial or sub shrub, summer flowers into fall, 2’–3’ x 2’, sun to part shade, yellow or pink, attracts hummingbirds. Zones 6 to 9.
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Clustered bellflower, Campanula glomerata ‘Superba’, herbaceous perennial, 1.5' -2.2' x 1'-2', sun to shade. Zones 3 to 8.
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Catalpa, deciduous tree, 50' - 70' x 20 - 40', fragrant flowers, bears long seed pods, sun. Zones 4 to 9.
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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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Adam’s needle, Yucca filamentosa, broadleaf evergreen, June to July, 4’ to 8’ x 2’ to 3’, sun, attracts butterflies. Zones 5 to 10.
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Bugbane, Actea simplex, herbaceous perennial, 3' to 4', part shade to shade, bears 1 to 2ft long fragrant flower spikes. Atropurpurea has purple foliage. Zones 3 to 8.
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Trumpet creeper, Campsis radicans, a deciduous vine, 25' to 40', orange, yellow or red flowers, sun to part shade, attracts hummingbirds, aggressive, produces suckers. Zones 4 to 9.
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Purple Emperor coneflower, Echinacea ‘Purple Emperor’, herbaceous perennial, 15” to 18” x 12” to 16”, sun to part shade, attracts butterflies, July to fall. Zones 4 to 8.
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JUly PLANT COMBO
English lavender and Stella d'Oro daylily.
Daylilies and English lavender are a good team for hot, dry and sunny locations, like this city planting. It is surrounded by concrete and because it is on a city boulevard, it does not receive a gardener's TLC. Despite the lack of care, this plant combination works. This specific daylily, Stella d'Oro, is a repeat bloomer with flowers that continue well into fall.
Watering Restrictions Continue
Water restrictions state to water in the morning, not the evening.
For Metro Vancouver, B.C.
Water restrictions start May 1 and end October 15. If you don’t live in Metro Vancouver, contact your local municipality for their watering restrictions. Residential lawn watering schedule:
Even-numbered addresses: Wed and Sat, 4 to 9 a.m. Odd-numbered addresses: Thurs and Sun, 4 to 9 a.m. Trees, shrubs & flowers: Any day from 4 to 9 am for sprinklers, hand watering and drip irrigation. All hoses must have an automatic shut-off device. Non-residential (businesses) lawn watering schedule: Even-numbered addresses: Mon, 1 to 6 a.m., Fri 4 to 9 am. Odd-numbered addresses: Tues, 1 to 6 a.m., Fri 4 to 9 am Trees, shrubs & flowers: Any day from 1 to 9 am for sprinklers, hand watering and drip irrigation. All hoses must have an automatic shut-off device. For more information, click here Lawn Care for JUly
Cut the grass to 4 inches during the summer.
plant police
Don't place landscape fabric under mulch.
This is a failed attempt to stop weeds from growing throughout a garden bed. Landscape fabric was placed over the soil with a light layer of mulch over-top. The problem here is the landscape fabric. In order for mulch to be effective in must be in direct contact with the soil. A skiff of mulch isn't adequate either. It needs to be 3 inches deep. Click on mulch for more info.
Watering In Summer
Make watering easier by setting up lawn sprinklers on timers available where garden products are sold.
A horse chestnut tree is wilting and is in desperate need of some water .
In the Veggie Garden
Pick off garlic flowers (scapes) when they are young to encourage bigger bulbs.
Onions, garlic, shallots: To encourage big fat bulbs, snip off flowers (scapes) as they appear (make them into pesto or add to stir fries). Stop watering when their leaves start to yellow but wait until they turn brown to harvest. Cure, then store in a dry location.
Rhubarb: Cut off flower spikes at their base as soon as they appear. Stop harvesting to allow plants to rest so you'll get a good crop next year. 
Freshly picked yellow waxed bush beans.
Harvest: Daily harvesting ensures fresh produce picked at their prime. Two foot long zucchinis look impressive, but aren't as tasty compared to ones that are smaller and younger. To learn more about harvesting click more.
Harvest New Potatoes: Harvest new baby potatoes when flowers appear. Either pull out a few spuds or dig up the entire plant and harvest them all. To learn more about growing potatoes click here. Taters: Plant seed potatoes for Christmas harvest. 
Pick new potatoes when they are in flower.
Garden Inspections
Friend or foe? It's a friendly ladybug larvae.
When you find something not right while perusing your garden, you’ll have to do a bit of detective work to figure out what is going on. For more go to Garden Inspections
These discoloured foxglove leaves have rust, a common disease.
composting Tips
Compost is the best product to add to any type of soil.
Cover the green layer such as kitchen scraps, with a brown layer like shredded newspaper.
July Tomato Care
Ouch! Check tied tomato stems to make sure they are not doing more harm than good.
Epsom Salts? Really?
Epsom salts contain magnesium and sulfur, which benefits the growth of tomatoes.
'Love and Peace' and other roses benefit from an application of Epsom salts.
For luscious rose blossoms and tasty tomatoes use Epsom salts as a foliar spray, soil drench or just mix some into the soil. Epsom salts provides 2 secondary essential elements for plant health: magnesium and sulfur. Many plants are quite happy with low levels of magnesium, while others such as tomatoes, peppers and roses perform best with supplemental applications. Certainly apply it to any plants that are showing signs of magnesium deficiency. Symptoms appear first on older leaves that are yellow between the green veins (interveinal chlorosis).
Dosages: Mix 2 tablespoons of Epsom salts to one gallon of water. Either apply to the soil or mist the foliage with the solution if you want instant results. For long term solutions, mix in a couple of inches of compost. Compost is also a good source of magnesium. |
July Garden ChoresPlease note that coloured text are linked to another page on this website or another website. Many of the pictures are also linked and will redirect you if you click on them.
Garden Inspections: As temperatures soar and any rain is celebrated, daily garden walkabouts are a good idea. Some plants, especially those in planters, will need daily handwatering. Don't wait to water wilting plants. They need water asap, no matter what time of day it is. If you don't want insects and diseases to prey on your plants, keep on top of the watering.
To shade plants from the hot sun, provide them with some shade.
Protect Plants from the Sun: Instantly cool hot plants by shading them with burlap, tarp or a tablecloth propped up with stakes or draped on a neighbouring taller plant. Don't be surprised if you hear them sigh with relief.
Hedges: Cut back hedges at the end of July to mid-September. Trimming them in fall leads to new growth that is susceptible to browning and winterkill.
Don’t Plant: Wait until autumn, it’s just too darn hot. Avoid planting until the rains return and temperatures cool.
Remedial Staking: Remove stakes from gladiolus, peonies, delphiniums and other plants once they no longer need them. For plants that continue to grow such as dahlias and tomatoes, support any wayward stems. 
Divide Perennials: Divide overgrown daylilies, irises and other perennials once they have finished flowering. A bed of yarrow is pictured.
Weed: Moisten the soil first to make it easier to pull them out, roots and all.
Going on Vacation? Gardens need tending during the summer so do try to have someone garden-sit even if it’s just to make sure plants are watered. One of their rewards will be reaping any harvest in your absence, especially fast maturing crops like tomatoes. 
Water annuals (bedding plants) after deadheading to encourage new growth and more flowers.
Remove infected peony leaves and don't add them to the compost.
Peony measles: Discoloured peony leaves are symptoms of Peony Leaf Blotch also referred to as 'peony measles'. There's no control, just remove and discard infected leaves before winter. Click here for more.
Place a stone or brick in a shallow dish filled with water for pollinating insects and birds.
Water for All: Butterflies, bees, birds and all life need water to live. During times of drought a shallow dish of fresh water is a lifesaver. Place a few around the garden in shade and replenish often.
Sow columbine seeds and other perennials.
Sow Flower Seeds: Sow seeds of perennials and biennials inside or outside according to the packet directions: columbine, delphiniums, pansies, wallflowers, foxgloves, honesty (Lunaria annua), hollyhocks. Label them so you don’t forget where they are and don’t let the soil dry out.
Semi-hardwood cuttings: Make more plants trees, shrubs, evergreens and conifers now by taking semi-hardwood cuttings. Suitable stems should bend without breaking. For more click on Taking Cuttings
Take cuttings from partially mature stems of trees and shrubs that will snap when bent.
Rose Care
'Pink Martini' a floribunda rose.
Deadheading Roses: If you want new blossoms to replace the dead ones, remove spent blooms by cutting back just above an outward facing leaf with 5 to 7 leaflets. This also applies when cutting roses for flower arrangements. For stems without foliage, cut canes back by ¼ to just above a node or side branch. For more on pruning roses click here.
After Each Flush of Blooms: Water well than fertilize with kelp meal, seaweed extract or fish fertilizer to promote healthy growth and more blossoms. Planter care
Red geraniums and Mexican heather (Cuphea 'Vermillionaire') are annuals that love full sun.
Containers: Don't forget to feed and water container grown plants as they are at your mercy. Yellow leaves, poor growth and lack of vigor are sure signs of malnutrition and thirst. To increase moisture holding capacity and to add some nutrients, add inch or so of compost, well-rotted manure or SeaSoil on top of the soils surface. Mix it in if possible. For more click on Container Growing.
Attract butterflies with slices of fruit placed so you can see them when they visit.
Plant Winter Crops Now
Kale and carrots are suitable winter crops.
Sow seeds of winter hardy plants: broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cilantro, kohlrabi, kale and cabbage. Plant where drainage is good so they don't rot with winter rains. Since it is still summer, water daily so they don’ dry out and protect from insects with a floating row covers. In fall, add a layer of straw to insulate the soil from the cold. For more on Winter Veggie Gardening, click here. For more on cloches, click here.
Protect winter crops by covering with a cloche and mulching with straw.
Powdery Mildew
This zucchini leaf is infected with powdery mildew.
Powdery mildew is a white powder that appears on leaves, stems and buds. It first appears first on new foliage and flower buds. This prevalent disease is caused by weather and incorrect maintenance. To learn how to control powdery mildew and for a safe, organic spray click here.
Potato & Tomato Blight
Blight affects all parts of the plant, including the fruit, like this tomato.
Humid, warm weather brings out the blight in potatoes and tomatoes. Look for dark edges on the foliage. There’s no cure, so harvest as much as you can then destroy the plants and remove all plant parts from the soil. Don’t plant any tomatoes or potatoes in that same spot preferably for at least four years.
Summer Pruning
An ornamental flowering cherry before being tamed.
The same tree after some judicious pruning.
Summer pruning is a good thing as it inhibits growth while promoting flowers and fruit. Unlike winter pruning that encourages growth, pruning in the summer slows plants down. Always water plants after pruning and don’t prune when plants are wilting due to lack of water.
Remove:
Prune apple trees by cutting back side branches to a couple of buds.
July Arrangement
Yellow and blue flowers surround pure white calla lilies.
July's yellow, blue and white arrangement includes callas, hydrangeas, alstroemerias, shasta daisies and marigolds. For details and for more arrangements click on Monthly Flower Arrangements
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Plant of the month
Daylily - Hemerocallis
'Bold Stripe' daylily is a maroon bitone variety with yellow midribs and yellow throat. It grows to 32 inches with 6 inch flowers.
Although flowers only last a day, they bear many.
'Bold Stripe' is a tetraploid daylily hence its large 6 inch blossoms, thick tepals and ruffled edges.
Most daylilies don't mind a bit of shade, especially in the afternoon.
'Blackberry Candy' is a fragrant tetraploid cultivar suitable for zones 3 to 10.
'Blackberry Candy' has long blooming period with 4 inch meaty flowers.
'Stella de Oro' bears fragrant 3 inch blossoms in profusion from July well into autumn.
'Stella de Oro' is a compact diploid that grows to 12 inches and is hardy from zones 2 to 11.
'Catherine Woodbury' has soft lilac blossoms with pale yellow throats.
'Catherine Woodbury' 6 inch fragrant trumpet shaped flowers on long leafless stems up to 30 inches long.
'Flore Pleno' is a robust double orange triploid bloomer suitable for Zone 2 to 11.
Give 'Flore Pleno' some space as flower spikes grow past 3 feet with a spread of 3 feet.
'Flore Pleno' flowers bears hearty flowers up to 6 inches wide.
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Common Name: daylily
Botanical Name: Hemerocallis hybrids and cultivars Form: upright arching, vase Family: Xanthorrhoeaceae Genus: Hemerocallis (beauty for a day) Plant Type: herbaceous perennial Mature Size: 1’ x 3’ tall and wide Growth: fast Origin: Japan, China, Korea, Eurasia Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9 Foliage: green, stemless, basal (emerge from crown), long, narrow strap-like that taper Flowers: trumpet shaped, July, August, yellows, oranges, reds with cultivars of pinks, purples, colour combinations, patterned and bicoloured, multiple petals, some are scented, some rebloom, while others bloom continuously until autumn Fruit: brown capsule on species varieties, which may or may not come true from seed, September, October Stems: flower stalks are leafless and only bear flowers Exposure: sun to part shade, heat tolerant Soil: tolerant to most soils, drought tolerant Uses: perennial borders, foundation plantings, cut flowers, slope stabilization, massing, xeriscaping, shrub borders, butterflies and hummingbirds Propagation: seeds, basal root cuttings and divisions Pruning: cut back foliage in fall when it yellows. Problems: aphids, spider mites, thrips, bacterial soft rot Comments: Daylilies have so many good qualities they are considered to be the ‘perfect perennial’. After all they create a fountain of green arching leaves that looks pretty good even without their many trumpet-like blossoms. Many varieties are fragrant, but even if they are not, they all are visited by butterflies and hummingbirds. Although their flowers resemble lilies, they are herbaceous perennials, and not bulbs, that turn yellow in the fall and go dormant during the winter. They regrow in spring and flower during the summer. Their showy trumpet-shaped blossoms only last a day, but flowering lasts for about 5 weeks depending on the variety. Since there are more than 35,000 cultivars that flower at different times during the summer, it’s possible to have their pretty blossoms flowering for months. Growing Conditions Daylilies are a garden staple because they require very little care, they aren’t messy and are well-behaved. These tough cookies blossom and flourish in all kinds of growing conditions, and don’t mind a bit of neglect. As long as it the soil isn’t soggy and they receive at least 5 hours of sunlight, daylilies should perform well. If plants don’t flower, it is from lack of light. Afternoon shade is better than morning, especially in hot climates. Despite their soil tolerance, they do prefer a loamy soil with good drainage. To improve their health and performance, mix in a few inches of compost into the soil. Mulch with 3 inches of a leaf mulch, wood chips or another organic mulch. Daylilies have a mass of plump, tuberous roots that store water, hence their ability to tolerate many types of soils, as well as drought. They don’t like wet feet, so don’t situate them where the soil doesn’t drain freely. Supply them with adequate moisture during the spring to get them off to a good start and early summer just before and when they are in flower. This promotes more blossoms and longer bloom period. Give the soil a good soaking to at least six inches. Planting Plant daylilies in early fall and early spring, about 6 to 8 weeks before it gets too cold in winter and too hot in summer. Place its crown (where roots and leaves meet) at soil level. After Flowering Once plants finish flowering, remove their flower stalks at their base. Cut back leaves in fall once they turn yellow. Mix in an inch or two of compost every year each spring. Types of Daylilies Their blossoms consist of three petals and three sepals (collectively termed 'tepals') that are joined at the base. They surround six curved stamens with pollen laden two-lobed anthers at their tips. In the centre is a long thin pistil that exceeds well past the stamens. That’s the basic flower, however plant breeders have put a new spin on the ever-so humble original daylily. Hybrids and cultivars were developed from these initial species: the tawny daylily (H. fulva) and the lemon lily (H. flava). Now they come in every colour except for pure blue and pure white. Petals are ruffled, frilly, skinny or broad. There’s some with colourful contrasting ‘eyes’ in the centre, there’s ones with stripes or blends of different colours. There are so many different types of daylilies because they are relatively easy to hybridize. Previously there were only diploid hybrids (2 sets of chromosomes), but tetraploids are quite impressive because they have double that amount. They are bold and brassy with thicker petals and bigger blossoms on heftier plants. Think of them as daylilies on steroids. 
Daylilies green strap-like leaves look good next to the 'Candy Stripe' creeping phlox.
Daylilies have tenacious roots that quickly fill planters.
Daylilies have tuberous roots that's why they are tolerant of many soils.
Their vast root systems are useful for stabilizing slopes.
Roses and daylilies make good companions.
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Daylilies are perfect cut flowers. Cut stems with many buds for long lasting displays.
'Mr. Lincoln' hybrid tea rose and 'Bold Stripe' daylily.
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THE GARDEN WEBSITE INDEX
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Container Growing 101 Monthly Flower Arrangements
Growing Roses Introduction Mulching & Types Introduction |
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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