Planting

You can still plant plenty of annuals and perennials and shrubs in your Summer gardens. For annuals, try marigolds, portulaca, zinnias, lantana,portalaca,torrenia,coleus plus a whole lot more for that huge splash of color. For perennials, and even more color, plant coreopsis, gaura, rudbeckias , salvias, echinacea , ornamental grasses and many more.

Tropical plants are popular now and can be brought into any garden, whether tropical, cottage, or country themes. Flowering shrubs include hibiscus, brugmansia (Angel’s Trumpet), canna, bougainvillea, and vines such as passion flower or Burmese honeysuckle. Large-leaf evergreens include philodendrons, palm trees, tree ferns, and gingers. You can even include abutilon, which comes in several colors including red, yellow, orange, and pink.

Harvesting

You are probably busy harvesting and enjoying your Summer vegetables like green beans, tomatoes, eggplant, squashes, and peppers. You can also continue to plant these veggies to extend your crop harvest.

Maintenance

We all have been experiencing a major “pest” time in our gardens. Those holes in your rose leaves are from the rose slug. Aphids love the rose buds, and more. You can wash off these pests with water. Caterpillars are abundant; try a spray containing Bt. And we can’t forget snails — they won’t let us.

It’s feeding time for your flowerbeds, roses, vegetables, citrus and warm-season lawns. Come in and ask one of us what fertilizers will be best for each of your plant needs. We offer a wide selection of fertilizers: multipurpose, organic, and slow release.

You can do some pruning, even though it’s Summertime. Fuchsia ‘Garten meister,’ gaura, and salvias will look much better if cut back by about 1/3. Oh…and your catmint, too.

If you forgot to increase your watering from the Spring months, you must do so now. Trees (non-citrus) and shrubs will need deep soaks once each month in the Summer, and regular irrigation in between. Citrus and your flowerbeds need regular weekly watering.

Those of you growing tomatoes and peppers, watch for tomato hornworms. They will need to be hand-picked from your foliage.

Don’t forget to mulch your gardens. We will always tell you to mulch.Please do not over mulch. Continue to replenish the mulch and maintain a 2-4 inch blanket over your soil.