Summer to-do list!

Garden Clippings for July 19, 2025

The dog days of summer have arrived. The veggie garden has been planted, shrubs have been pruned, flowerpots are at their peak. So, what’s a gardener to do?

Fertilize flowers. I am a big fan of controlled-release plant food. Ideally, the first feeding should have been applied at planting time, and the second feeding should occur in mid-summer, 6 to 8 weeks after planting. Schedule a third feeding in September for continued fall blooming.

Flower lovers who want the best performance can continue to fertilize with water soluble plant food every two weeks. Keep in mind that fertilizer should not be applied on dry soil.

Feed the grass. Pushing a fertilizer spreader across the lawn is not my favorite task, but I finally took care of it on Canada Day. Lucky for me it poured rain the following day and a week later the grass turned from tired to robust. I will fertilize again in fall to gain another boost.

A well-fed lawn is the ticket to healthy grass. Use a slow-release fertilizer blend such as 24-4-16 that contains more nitrogen than phosphorous and potash. Keep the lawn mower at its highest setting, and water once a week if the clouds have not watered for you. Your lawn will respond better to a deep watering once a week rather than a light watering every few days.

Plant vegetables for fall harvesting. Beans can be planted in mid-July for harvesting in September. Lettuce, spinach and leaf crops do not enjoy summer’s heat but can be planted in August when the evening temperatures are cooler.

Weeding the garden is best done frequently rather than waiting till weeds are mature. Scratching the soil once a week will easily eliminate tiny weeds before they become too big to handle.

Adding mulch to landscape beds is a gardener’s favorite task. Mulch is lightweight, easy to spread, has a lovely fragrance, and gives a refreshed look. Weed growth is suppressed and soil moisture is retained. Be sure to remove all weeds before applying mulch.

Keep an eye out for pests. Cabbage lopper and tomato hornworm can be picked by hand early in the morning before they gobble up vegetables.

Japanese Beetles are usually active for one month beginning July 15. Start by shaking off many beetles early in the morning when they are dozy. Shake the beetles onto a drop sheet and drown them in a bucket of water. Put up a beetle trap at the far end of the yard to coax them away from your flowers. Apply environmentally friendly nematodes in September, after the adult beetles have laid eggs and while the grubs are still young.