July... Time To Maintain

July is a nice time to step back and enjoy the fruits of your spring/early summer labors. Fuchsia baskets are producing some brilliant color. Petunias are soaking up the sun and returning lots of flowers. Annuals and perennials are growing like crazy. But be careful not to get stuck in neutral. You’ll continue enjoying rewards the next couple months by attending now to a few little upkeep chores in your yard, garden beds and planters.

• Fill in those bare spots. By now, most of the varieties you planted earlier this year are thriving and blooming. But in those spaces where a few plants didn’t make it, now’s the time to fill in with 1-gallon varieties. This size brings instant impact to bare spaces, especially if you’re doing a quick spruce up for summer entertaining.
• Water, water water! (Part 1) During summer’s hotter days, don’t wait for plants to droop before watering. Keep a daily eye on both your garden beds and containers. Stick your finger about an inch down into the soil to check for moisture. If none, it’s time to water.
• And m ulch, mulch, mulch... all around shrubs, annuals, and perennials. A 2-4" layer of organic mulch helps retain moisture and keeps weeds down.
• Groom your deck planters. Pinch fading blooms and trim back runners to give your pots a neater look and encourage fuller growth. Plus replace any varieties that have run their course with some later-blooming varieties.
• Fertilize your container plants frequently. Just as you must water your container plants more frequently in hotter weather, you also need to re-supply them with nutrients regularly. The frequent watering necessitated by hotter weather also tends to wash away nutrients in the overflow that runs out of your containers. So be sure to fertilize your container plants at least every two weeks with a liquid or soluble plant food (and even more often if you're watering daily due to the heat).
• Water, water water! (Part 2) Regular watering is the key to keeping your lawn lush and healthy, especially as the weather turns hotter. Most lawns require only an inch of water per week, but that can vary due to soil and grass conditions. Watch for yellow spots, especially in areas that may be out of range of your sprinklers. Also thatch, which is a layer of matted dead roots and other organic materials, can prevent water from getting to your lawn's roots. an annual dethatching can help prevent thatch build-up and dried out lawns.
• Timers save you effort by automating your watering. It's a snap to attach water timers to your drip irrigation system and regular hoses. Then you can practically set them and forget them -- the timers will turn your water on and off on just about any schedule you want.
• Weed prevention and control. Apply a fertilizer with weed control early in the month to keep ahead of the weeds (see Hot Weather Fertilizing Tips). Remember: it's easier to prevent weeds than to get rid of them after they've taken root.
• Beware the lure of those bulb catalogs. If your mailbox is like mine, it’s bursting these days with bulb catalogs. But resist the urge to blow your bulb budget now. If there are a few can’t-get-them-anywhere-else-varieties you must have, by all means order them. But wait until mid-September or so to shop locally for the classics like tulips, daffodils, iris, crocus, lilies, and hyacinth. Your better garden centers will have a great selection of these varieties in bulk bins. Buying in bulk allows you to sift through the bulbs, pick the best ones, and mix-and-match any way you like.
• Tend your compost pile. Throw spent flowers and grass clippings onto the pile, keeping noxious plants like weeds and morning glory for the trash can. Turn the pile every week or so, and soak it well if it’s dry. If decomposition seems slow, toss a bit of high-nitrogen fertilizer and dolomite lime into the pile as you turn it.
• Re-pot indoor plants. It's also a good idea to put some focus on your indoor plants, especially re-potting those that are outgrowing their current environment. Doing it this time of year is a good idea because you can move your plants outdoors to do the potting, then leave them out for awhile to get a good start on growth in the new pot.

So enjoy the weather and all the blooming beauty, but keep an eye on the upkeep so everything keeps going and growing!

While much of the information in these tips is applicable in several gardening zones/climates, some of the plants and timing suggested are best suited to the Northwest, generally in the mild/wet growing regions found along the I-5 corridor. You should make appropriate adjustments or consult local gardening experts in regions whose climates differ from this area of the Northwest.