Last week I talked about handling your potted outdoor plants, and I was planning to give some information about watering shrubbery and lawns. I ran out of space. At that time we had not had any rain for a very long time, and the topic was very apropos. Now, even though we have had a lot of rain, some of it really was good, I think that we need to cover the topic, anyway. Remember, we are in August — and anything can still happen.
What interested me most was how people were watering. In one instance I saw someone putting a quart of water on each of her tomato plants. Totally wrong! In such dry conditions, this is the worst thing you can do to a plant or a lawn. When you water, water heavily. Water deep. You see, the roots of most plants go downward, unless they have to go toward the soil to get water. If you water only the top 3 or 4 inches of the soil, those roots will reach for it. The lower roots will wither and die. Then, when the soil dries for any period of time, if we have a couple of rainless weeks, those top roots will die and the plant will have none to get water into the plant. So, when you water, depending on the size of the plant, give it enough to reach those lower roots. Do not allow the plants to dry out between watering because it will become harder and harder for the new supply of water to reach those roots.
Remember to deadhead your flowers (deadhead: to remove dead and dying flowers from a plant before they go to seed). It is important to remove flowers, especially from plants such as roses and lilies, at this time of year because they are so unsightly and because as the seed pod matures, it will take energy away from the lily bulb or the rose bush. That energy would normally be used to make the plant better next year. And in plants like geraniums and marigolds, seed production takes energy from flower production. I think that a geranium just does not look good when it has a lot of dead or dying blooms. Remember that when you remove the flower, reach down the flower stem and try to snap it off where it meets a larger stem, at the axil.
Fertilizing will still benefit some of your plants. A light application on annuals and perennials will keep them growing for the next few weeks and producing more blooms. Remember, too, that you will be bringing some of those herbs into the house before the first frost, so keep them well-fed and well-watered. If you have some seeds left over from your spring planting, now would be the time to sow them. In a few weeks you will have some flavorful leaves to perk up that salad made from those bland Mexican tomatoes. If you have any spring seed catalogs left, look for a packet of small-leafed basil; there are several varieties. They grow quickly and are more easily manageable, easier to trim and just as delicious. I particularly like two varieties: Christmas and boxwood. See if you can locate the seeds.
As we begin to wind down our summer, start thinking about garden cleanup. Begin raking the flower beds; snails and bugs live in that trash. Raking and cleaning is your first line of defense to get rid of these critters.
Remember, though, there is a whole lot of summer left. Enjoy your gardens. And your neighbor’s, too.
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