Summers’ end will be here before we even notice, now is the time to begin preparations for fall gardens. Start by removing dead plants and weeds which may have taken hold in some garden areas. Save seeds while dead-heading perennials for planting next spring. Divide flowering bulbs, add soil amendments and mulch to prepare each bed for fall (courtesy image: gardenerspath.com).
By John Green, Certified Texas Expert Gardener, Orange County
Gardeners, we have obviously drifted away from rainfall events every couple of days to weather aligned with predictable August climate patterns associated with late summer- including the blistering heat! Our local meteorologists indicate there are but slight chances of rain for the next week or more which is unfortunate. Make certain to keep garden hoses readily available and sprinklers armed to provide much needed moisture for lawns, and most all plants but don’t forget trees, as they depend upon us!
It’s amazing to me how quickly weeds (the opportunists which they are) have taken over a few vegetable garden areas and gained the upper hand for a couple weeks now. This is worrisome for me, weighing heavily on my mind while an eradication strategy is planned since this cannot go uncorrected! The past two weekends have included several evening hours dedicated to reconquering the a few gardens. It started by removing an overabundance of weeds, then preparing raised beds (adding amendments) for fall planting, which has been challenging in the heat (sweating profusely & muttering derogatory comments- about weeds, temperature, work-life balance, etc.). It simply requires more time to corral the gardens and prepare them for fall planting…much longer than I prefer, so let me state for the record—this gardener can hardly wait for autumn to arrive!
Some of you may be asking what should gardeners be doing in our gardens during these hot Summer days? There are several chores which need to be completed before seasons change if you plan to plant fall flowers or grow vegetables but before beginning it’s important to maintain vigilance against heat stress for personal safety.
Before- beginning work outdoors, let me emphatically state: stay inside where it’s cool during the heat of the day between the hours of 9 AM and 6 PM. Lawn care and garden tasks can be performed during the cool, early morning hours for protection against the sun (6 to 9 AM) when the temperature is less intense or in the late afternoon when the sun sets. Stay hydrated (remember coffee doesn’t hydrate it has the opposite effect) drinking plenty of water, wear sunscreen on exposed areas of the skin, wear lose fitting, light-colored clothing, gloves to guard hands, and wear a wide-brimmed hat for protection against the sun. Take breaks frequently and move to a shady area to allow yourself time cool down. Remember gardeners, “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and gardening is not a race!
Continue- watering as necessary this time of year. Early morning watering is best (due to less evaporative loss). Many gardeners believe if you water in the evening, plants must be watered at the soil level not wetting the plant as they have been informed fungus or disease will become prevalent. This gardener refutes this as being a myth. We receive rainfall during daylight and nighttime hours, so it is my opinion to provide water whenever possible, on your schedule-as time permits! If plants are wilted, water them…please don’t wait until morning or evening!
- Container & potted plants, and hanging baskets require more frequent watering- daily or even twice daily watering depending on container size and the potting medium.
- Irrigation systems require monitoring, which means emitters should be frequently checked to make certain they are each working properly, replacing emitters which do not operate correctly and ensure spray patterns are wetting plants, lawns, and trees rather than driveways, or other structures while minimizing run-off.
- Garden hose (hose-end) sprinklers require watering a minimum of an hour for deep penetration, moving the sprinklers often to avoid runoff.
- Keep fruit trees watered to maintain healthy foliage since next year’s crop which depends on energy produced from this year’s growth that from photosynthesis and stored carbohydrates.
Mulch- is a gardener’s best friend and must be used continuously throughout the year. Gardens need mulch to preserve moisture, cool soil temperature, and to provide nutrients to plants as the mulch decomposes.
- Continually add mulch as a top dressing to soil and around the base of plants. Add mulch in layers at a depth of 2 to 3-inches to aid in reducing weeds.
Lawn Care- Apply nitrogen fertilizer to the lawn now, the choice is yours whether to use chemical or organic (personal choice is always organic). Note that chemical fertilizers must be watered into the lawn or will burn the lawn otherwise. Organic fertilizers do not burn, nor do they require watering after application.
- Utilize a pre-emergent herbicide if winter weeds are prevalent in the lawn. Apply a pre-emergent herbicide to kill sprouting weed seed. Do not use a pre-emergent in the vegetable garden—it kills germinating seeds indiscriminately!
Divide– spring blooming bulbs i.e. daylilies, irises and Shasta Daisies. This should be completed every 3 to 5 years, or if they are not blooming in the spring, which signals it’s time to divide them.
- Now is the time to purchase or order spring-flowering bulbs as they might possibly be on sale but wait to plant them later.
- Plant wildflower seeds now for a wildflower garden. Simply follow the directions listed on the seed container.
Prune– rose and perennial blooms to keep them blooming through the first frost. Remove diseased and dead canes, create better air circulation, and remove crossed canes.
Look- around the garden while roaming about to see what continues to bloom and make a note of it (jot this down later), since you may want to add these plants to the landscape in subsequent years.
Wildlife- always keep fresh water available for wildlife on your property. This is the hottest time of the year, and resources scarce (water) so it’s difficult for wildlife to find places to get a cool drink of water.
So long for now fellow gardeners! Let’s go out and grow ourselves a greener, more sustainable world, one plant at a time! Thank you for the questions & kind comments. Please continue sending gardening questions to: jongreene57@gmail.com.
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