Hazy days of summer: Gardening tips for July
It's hard to believe that we're at the halfway mark of the 2022 gardening season. There's a lot of work to be done to keep our gardens looking great. Here are some suggestions.
Ornamentals. Stake taller perennials. Deadhead flowering plants to encourage more blooms. Cut back mounding perennials such as creeping phlox when they are done blooming. Keep container plants watered and fertilized.
Vegetables. Keep plants well watered. Never let vegetables dry out because they can't recover well; flavor and yield will be impacted. Vegetables grown in containers are especially sensitive; water well. Vegetables are also heavy feeders; be sure to fertilize as needed.
The lawn. Mow as high as possible for a healthier, denser turf with deeper roots. This will insure your lawn is more drought tolerant. This can also prevent germination of some weed seeds.
Bulbs. Time to cut spring blooming bulb foliage. It's a good time to dig up and move bulbs too. Divide and replant bearded iris and check the rhizomes for iris borers. Destroy old or rotten rhizomes.
Take pictures of your garden and make notes of any changes you would like to make which can be done in the fall or next year.
Cornell Cooperative Extension Oneida County - home and garden questions can be emailed to homeandgarden@cornell.edu or call 315-736-3394, press 1 and then Ext 333. Leave your question, name and phone number. Questions are answered weekdays, 8am to 4 pm. Also, visit our website at cceoneida.com/ or phone 315-736-3394, press 1 and then Ext 100.
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Gardening tips: Keep vegetables well watered, stake taller perennials
