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| 'Knockout Pink' rebloom in early September |
When
you reach the month of August, your garden is either flourishing or you're
thinking "better luck next year" or on the phone to a paving
company.
Here are some quick-step maintenance suggestions:
· Keep container plants watered – remember that other than occasional August rains, you are their only resource for moisture.
· Fertilize all container plants and perennials in your garden. Frequent watering may be a must unless summer rainfall has been plentiful.
· Add a Water Soluble Fertilizer products as Miracle Gro™, Jack's™, or Espoma™ Slow Release.
· Prune back hybrid tea and shrub roses to spur plentiful re-blooms in September and October.
· Continue to pull weeds. Don't allow them get ahead and go to seed.
· Deadhead (prune back) annuals and perennials so they'll look better and to stimulate new blooms. Your lawn mower, set at 5-inch cutting height, makes the work faster and simpler.
· Prune/remove dead limbs and branches on shrubs and smaller trees.
· Scout these late summer pests - aphids, white flies, spider mites on all landscape plants. A number of safe organic pesticides or a coarse spray of water from a garden hose may take care of most pests.
· If summer annuals have peaked and dying off from diseases or insect pests, head to your local garden center for fall blooming mums, asters, toad lilies, anemones, et.al.
· Plant fresh containers or a garden bed of petunias, calibrachoas, marigolds, and/or globe amaranths (Gomphrena) that should bloom non-stop to first hard frost.
Here are some quick-step maintenance suggestions:
· Keep container plants watered – remember that other than occasional August rains, you are their only resource for moisture.
· Fertilize all container plants and perennials in your garden. Frequent watering may be a must unless summer rainfall has been plentiful.
· Add a Water Soluble Fertilizer products as Miracle Gro™, Jack's™, or Espoma™ Slow Release.
· Prune back hybrid tea and shrub roses to spur plentiful re-blooms in September and October.
· Continue to pull weeds. Don't allow them get ahead and go to seed.
· Deadhead (prune back) annuals and perennials so they'll look better and to stimulate new blooms. Your lawn mower, set at 5-inch cutting height, makes the work faster and simpler.
· Prune/remove dead limbs and branches on shrubs and smaller trees.
· Scout these late summer pests - aphids, white flies, spider mites on all landscape plants. A number of safe organic pesticides or a coarse spray of water from a garden hose may take care of most pests.
· If summer annuals have peaked and dying off from diseases or insect pests, head to your local garden center for fall blooming mums, asters, toad lilies, anemones, et.al.
· Plant fresh containers or a garden bed of petunias, calibrachoas, marigolds, and/or globe amaranths (Gomphrena) that should bloom non-stop to first hard frost.
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| Calibrachoa in container |
