I’ll confess, I can be a bit dramatic. A few weeks ago it was so hot I told my crew that it was time to call it a day at like 1:30pm. It was 98 degrees and unbearable. The team unloaded the truck at the shop and I said good bye after thanking them for all their hard work, then closed the gate behind them…and promptly had a mild panic attack.
In my head, I was convinced this was the end. That it would never cool down or rain. That within a few more weeks we would start seeing trees spontaneously combust and Morgan Freeman would come on the emergency broadcast system telling us all we were doomed, but because of his dulcet tones, we wouldn’t panic or fear, and instead meet our fate with dignity and grace. Notice I keep saying ”we,” implicating y’all in my weird anxious paranoia.
As you all know, it did get cooler and we have started getting some rain. Strangely it now rains almost every afternoon around 5ish, making it even more impossible to traverse the city at a reasonable hour. So I am finding reasons to get myself home before then, like to grab packages before they are stolen, meet new clients over this way, or…write a blog!
Let’s dive in, shall we?
General Notes
July is reliably our hottest month, which makes it one of our slowest to do months. Even plants have sense enough to chill out.
Freshen up mulch if it is looking thin (you know I love mulch) to help with moisture retention and reduce the amount of weeding you may need. Weeding when it is crazy hot is not only tedious, it is the leading cause for people giving up in their garden. That’s for real. Sadly, weeding is an all year activity. Weeding is fundamental!
Water thoroughly less often rather than frequently for short periods of time. Newer plantings will be happy with these deep drinks of water. Hydrangeas do a good job of telling you that the garden might be dry.
Insect and fungal disease are really thriving in the hot humid conditions. Make sure your plants have circulation. This doesn’t mean that each plant should look like a little meatball of gumdrop in your landscape. Rather that the plants have openings in the structure so air can pass through them.
Observe:
Perennials
Continue to deadhead spent perennials that need to keep them looking tidy. Many perennials will rebloom if you do this. If you have flowering plants such as echinacea, rudbeckia, cardoon, and helianthus, consider letting the blooms in late July go to seed to bring seed loving birds to your fall garden.
Keep pinching back those chrysanthemums. Just for a few more weeks.
Shrubs
Continue to prune away the random fly-away branches. You may prune to maintain size, but don’t go crazy. Shearing this time of year can introduce fungal spores, make heat stress worse, and leave unsightly burned edges on leaves.
This is the last month for pruning azaleas before you risk cutting off flower buds for next year. Same for camellia sasanquas. This is also the last month for fertilizing both of these shrubs.
Tipping spent crepe myrtles will encourage new flowers.
Check gardenias for whitefly and black spot. That is real advice and not a recommendation for a new band name.
If you are into propagation, now is the time many shrubs are forming semihardwood, making them easier to propagate.
Roses
Continue to prune for size and dead head.
If roses are blooming (or trying to bloom) continue to fertilize every 10-14 days.
Check for blackspot and rosette disease.
Stop and smell the roses.
Trees
Not much here except to water and prune when needed. Plants that have been in the ground less than 3 years are still susceptible to hot dry weather. Give a little extra mulch if it is looking thin.
Veggies and Herbs
Harvesting should be pretty regular now. Do not let veggies get too big or they will become tough. This is especially true for summer squashes, okra, and eggplant. It feels counterintuitive, but harvesting your herbs more will make them more productive.
Plant mint only in a pot. Always. if you don’t listen to anything I say, listen to this one (I reserve the right to reuse this line on something else).
Potatoes and garlic should be close to being ready, if they aren’t already. Harvest and cure soon.
Fertilize every two weeks. Even if you used compost and great soil.
With the wet humid weather, be on the look out for tomato blight (remove affected growth, mulch so spores don’t get into the soil, and treat with product labeled for blight treatment) , blossom end rot (add calcium), and powdery mildew (copper or sulfur fungicide). Also watch for tomato horn worms. They look pretty threatening but are fairly defenseless. If you have chickens or a friend with chickens, feel free to give the worms to them as a snack. Yum!
Make sure to keep a journal entry with where things are planted this summer so you can practice crop rotation this fall and next summer.
Lawns
You can still plug bermuda if you have patchy areas. All other lawns you will want to wait for cooler weather.
Raise your mower to 2” if you have valuable turf lawn (I just have clover so it doesn’t care if I mow it to nubbins).
The Takeaway
Keep a watch for heat and drought stress. Water deep and mulch thin areas.
Don’t forget to fertilize plants that are actively growing and producing.
Prune for size and to maintain shape, but do not shear this time of year.
Harvest everything that needs harvesting. If you aren’t going to eat them, give them away.
Enjoy the slower pace and the fruits of your labor. Connect with your garden. Every time you connect with your garden you are connecting to nature and to a piece of yourself.
Alchemy Gardens and Design 