July Garden Tips

Rain can become very elusive in July. Humidity begins to peak and in the lowcountry we are actually passing out of prime growing conditions into the lethargy of the dog days of summer. Gardeners just have to play it by ear. It is important to keep an eye out for pests and disease.

General tips for July

· Slow down and give you and your plants a rest from the heat
· Give plants a mid-season feeding or side dressing, to get them through to fall
· Keep eye on rainfall and water as needed
· Stay ahead of the weeds
· Watch garden centers for clearence plants
· Keep lawns at about 3”, to protect from heat
· Keep bird baths and feeders clean

Ornamentals

· Keep dead heading flowers
· Cut back spent annuals by 1/3
· Put focus on heat resistant flowers like: coleus, hibiscus, melampodium, pentas, plumbago, portulaca and zinnias.
· Pinch back fall blooming flowers one last time in mid-July like mums and asters
· Divide Iris

Now sit back and enjoy your garden and all the efforts you put in earlier in the year to get where it is now.

Midsummer Makeover

By midsummer most of your garden is usually looking pretty good. Your perennials are growing and the annuals you planted are blooming like mad. Yes all is doing well except for that one planting bed. Now what can you do about that one bed? Just because the calendar says it’s the middle of summer doesn’t mean it is too late to rejuvenate a flowerbed. Here are a few ideas to perk up a lackluster perennial border.

1. Size It Up- Take a good look and see what you can salvage in the bed.
2. GO “Sale-ing”- Take advantage of late-season plant sales at garden centers and pick up perennials for a lot less than you’d play in the middle of May. Buy a few annuals like begonia to fill in the gaps around the perennials while they are small. I also like to sow seeds of fast-growing annuals like zinnias, cosmos, or celosia.( I can often harvest these seeds from flowers that bloomed earlier in the season.) Next year the perennials will be larger and you won’t need to fill in with as many annuals.
3. Dig In- Summer heat and drought can be hard on young plants. Don’t skimp on preparing the planting holes for the new plants. Add moisture crystals if your area is especially hot and dry and don’t forget to add 2-3” of mulch to help hold moisture and cut down on how often you need to water.
4. Spot Some Pots- Container plants are often in their peak by midsummer. Place a few colorful pots among the plants to quickly fill in thin areas. A pot of coleus can add some texture and color to a bed. Other plants that look great in containers in late summer are dahlias, sedums, and asters.
5. Add A Personal Touch- Finally, don’t forget to include some hardscaping or a piece of garden art to personalize your bed. Whether bold or subtle, art should accent your plants not overpower them. Make sure they are sturdy enough to withstand summer wind and rain with out toppling over into the plants.

Midsummer plants: Aster, Blanket flower, Celosia, Coleus, Cosmos, Dahlia, Phlox, Purple Heart, Sedum and Zinnia.

For more heat tolerant plants check out: “Some Like It Hot” Flowers That Thrive in Hot Humid Weather by P.J. Gartin, “Tough Plants for Southern Gardens” by Felder Rushing and “The Carolinas Gardener’s Guide” by Toby Bost & Jim Wilson

Harvesting Vegetables

Since temperatures are a little closer to normal (Staying in the mid-90’s) my garden vegetable is doing a little better. I located my peppers in some partial shade this summer and I’m not having sunscald on my peppers this year. I was having more tomatoes than I could eat for about two weeks but that has slow down some. I found this link about harvesting vegetables on the Clemson Home and Garden Information Center to be helpful. I had not grown cucumbers until this summer and didn’t know how to tell when it was ripe. Picked it and used in salads last week. Clemson HGIC:http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/vegetables/gardening/hgic1262.html

Water Wise

We had a very dry May and June and I finally had a little relief last week from dragging my hoses all over the yard to keep my garden/yard alive! I recorded 2.5” of rain in 2 days after a really dry spring. Hot, dry summer months are stressful times for plants in the landscape. Without proper moisture, plants cannot grow normally and can become inclined to other stresses like bugs and diseases. It is important to water plants so they develop deep roots. Daily watering can promote shallow roots making it hard for a plant to survive a hot dry summer.

During a drought I worry first about my Trees and shrubs, which are harder and more expensive to replace. The best time to water is in the early morning, when there is less evaporation. It is best to water these in the root area where it will sink in to be taken in by the roots.

After I’m sure my trees and shrubs are cared for I look at the lawn, which can also be expensive to replace if it succumbs to the drought. You have two choices during long, dry, hot summers: Water the grass to keep it green or don't water and let it turn brown and go dormant.

If you decide to keep it green then first determine that your lawn is really dry. Some clues are: Foot printing: Walk across your lawn. If your footprints remain in the grass very long, the lawn is dry. Color test: When a lawn is dry a long time, it will have a bluish-gray cast. Watering brings back the color.
Check leaves: Dry grass responds by wilting, rolling or folding the leaves.

Apply about an inch of water when you determine your yard is dry. This amount should moisten the soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. Runoff is a problem in my front yard so I apply half and let it soak in before applying more water. I try to water early in the morning but don’t have Irrigation timers. If you have a timer it should be set to water the lawn between 4 and 6 am. Water only as needed. Watering daily can be harmful and encourages shallow roots making the grass less drought tolerant.

Use mulch to decrease evaporation of water from the soil around plant and trees. It will also lower soil temperatures and reduce competition from weeds for water.

Enjoying all my work!

Sometimes I’m so busy caring for my garden I forget to enjoy it…but last night it was so nice with temperatures in the mid-80’s and a nice cool breeze I decided to spend some time after dinner on the garden swing admiring the flowers and watching the birds. My two Labs Maggie and Lucy and several birds including House Finches, Grackles, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Carolina chickadee, Northern Cardinal, Mourning Dove, and Eastern Bluebird joined me. A Mockingbird also stopped by to pick a blueberry and then flew off. Luckily I planted the blueberries in my yard for fruit loving birds when I was planned my garden to provide food for wildlife. If the birds don’t find the berries I harvest them. This morning as I was watering my potted plants I also took a few minutes to enjoy the flowering plants in the garden. I hope you take a few minutes to enjoy your garden and all it attracts this time of year!

Plants Blooming in June

Now blooming in my June gardens:

Abelia
Althea
Butterfly weed
Chaste Tree
Chrysanthemums
Coneflower
Crepe Myrtle
Coreopsis
Cosmos
Daisy
Daylily
Dianthus
Garden Phlox
Gaura
Gladiolas
Hollyhocks
Hostas
Hydrangea
Impatiens
Lantana
Liatris
Magnolia
Marigold
Nicotiana
Petunia
Queen Anne’s Lace
Redbeckia
Rose Mallow
Sage, Pineapple & Russian
Salvia, blue & red
Sweetpea
Water Lily
Verbena
Zinnia

Tips for Curbside Plantings

What do you have planted in that area between the street and the sidewalk? Most people have no idea what to do with that little strip of grass and usually leave it alone because it can be a difficult spot to make attractive. Before getting started on your design remember to contact your city and utility companies and HOA to find out what can and can’t be planted in this area.
My HOA won’t allow me to plant the whole strip between the street and the sidewalk but I was able to a small portion near the mailbox.

· Plant selections- Look for plants that are durable and look good with minimal care. Aim for 80% of the plants to have some winter interest to keep the area looking good year round. Use the remaining 20% to embellish with seasonal flowers.
· Plant in layers- Start your design with several short shrubs or grasses that won’t block visibility. Next find an evergreen groundcover to help cover the ground and keep out weeds. Now add flowering bulbs, perennials and annuals. Choose varieties that don’t need constant deadheading or dividing. A few ideas: black-eyed Susans, sedums, Russian sage and purple coneflower. All these tolerate hot, dry conditions once established.

Some design tips:

1. If you have a privacy fence or retaining wall Create a “Walk Through” Garden by growing plants on both sides of the sidewalk. If you don’t have a privacy fence along the walk, choose a few plants for your curbside garden that tie it to the rest of your front yard or foundations plantings.
2. Remember Accidents Do Happen. It’s inevitable that people will step into the beds. Choose plants that can take some abuse, like tall sedum. If they get damaged they’ll quickly bounce back.
3. People Will Always Take The Most Direct Route so let them by including several narrow paths or stepping-stones so they can walk through the garden instead of having to walk all the way around. Remember to keep tree branches trimmed high enough so people don’t have to duck.
4. Don’t Block The View of drivers or pedestrians especially at intersections. You can figure this out by driving your car along the area you want to landscape and look around. Then park, get out and walk along the sidewalk to determine how tall the plants can be.
5. While Your Car Is Parked along the curb, open the passenger door to help you figure out how far to set plants back from the street so visitors don’t have to step directly into your perennials. This distance is usually a foot but wider is better. A border of bricks or a few stepping stones show visitors where to step.
6. Use Separate Soaker Hoses in each bed so you don’t have them stretched across paths where they can trip people. When you attach soakers to the house clearly mark the location where they cross the sidewalk. Cover the hoses in the beds with mulch so they don’t show.

Durable shrubs: Althea, Hollies, Spirea, Abelia, Flowering Quince, Forsythia, and Shrub Roses
Tolerant small trees: Crepe Myrtle, Grancy Greybeard, Redbud, Serviceberry, Smoke Tree, Spicebush, Witch-Hazel
Enduring Annuals : Celosia, Dusty Miller, Coleus, Gomphrena, Moss Rose, Sweet Potato, and Zinnia
Hearty Perennials: Daisy, Goldenrod, Hellebore, Purple Coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Salvia, Aster, Daylily

For more plant suggestions check out: “Some Like It Hot” Flowers That Thrive in Hot Humid Weather by P.J. Gartin, “Tough Plants for Southern Gardens” by Felder Rushing and “The Carolinas Gardener’s Guide” by Toby Bost & Jim Wilson

Before photo was taken Oct. 2008, After photo taken April 2009

Backyard Pest

Its that time again! Who doesn’t hate the Japanese beetle and the destruction it leaves in its path? The adult Japanese beetle is a little less than 1/2 inch long and has a shiny, metallic-green body with bronze colored outer wings. Both as adults and as grubs (the larval stage), Japanese
beetles are destructive plant pests. Adults feed on the foliage and fruits of several hundred species of fruit trees, ornamental trees, shrubs, vines, and field and vegetable crops. Adults leave behind skeletonized leaves and large, irregular holes in leaves. The grubs develop in the soil, feeding on the roots of various plants and grasses and often destroying turf in lawns, parks, golf courses, and pastures.

This highly destructive plant pest of foreign origin was first found in the US in a nursery in southern New Jersey in 1916. In its native Japan, where the beetle's natural enemies keep its populations in check, this insect is not a serious plant pest. With favorable conditions in the US the beetle infestation has grown to become a serious plant pest and a threat to American
Agriculture.

During the feeding period, females intermittently leave plants, burrow about 3 inches into the ground—usually into turf—and lay a few eggs. This cycle is repeated
until she lays 40 to 60 eggs. By midsummer, the eggs hatch, and the young grubs
begin to feed. In late autumn, the grubs burrow 4 to 8 inches into the soil and remain inactive all winter. This insect spends about 10 months of the year in the ground in the larval stage. In early spring, the grubs return to the turf and continue to feed on roots until late spring, when they change into pupae. In about 2 weeks, the pupae become adult beetles and emerge from the ground. This life cycle takes a year.

No quick fixes can rid homeowners of the Japanese beetle once it becomes established. However, scientists with the USDA, ARS and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have developed an integrated pest management (IPM) program for homeowners based on field experiences. The program combines biological, cultural, and chemical strategies. It will be effective if homeowners are willing to monitor both adult and larval beetle populations closely and implement this program with neighbors and their local agricultural or horticultural organizations.

IPM attempts to manage pests, not to eradicate them, while at the same time exerting minimal impact on the environment. IPM uses biological, cultural, mechanical, and chemical controls to keep pest populations below levels that cause economic damage. Because tolerance to
the presence of insect pests varies among individuals, the choice of control methods will reflect the management objectives of the user.

Why Follow an IPM Program?
Here are a few reasons:
■ Automatically and routinely applying pesticides can be counterproductive, economically wasteful, and environmentally unsound.
■ The Japanese beetle is here to stay. Therefore, we must learn to “live with” or manage this insect pest while attempting to minimize its impacts.
■ It is not necessary to eliminate the beetle in order to protect your trees, plants, and lawn.
■ It is hard to predict when and where Japanese beetle populations will increase, and there is no guaranteed control formula to follow. Intermittent monitoring and appropriate planning are necessary for adequate management of this landscape pest.

If you battle this pest from year to year you may want to do more reading. Start with the attached links:


For more information on the beetle check this Clemson Home and Garden Link: http://entweb.clemson.edu/eiis/pdfs/to5.PDF
For more on IPM see this link : http://entweb.clemson.edu/pesticid/saftyed/PestIPM.htm

Parsley in the Garden- many uses

The first time I planted parsley in my garden was in Florida. I did it to have on hand to feed my husband’s cockatiels. At the time we had an aviary of breeding birds and they liked to eat parsley as a source of greens. Caterpillars found it and ate more than half of my plants!

Then we moved to Georgia and no longer had the birds. This time I planted the parsley as a landscape plant in my garden. Both times I had plenty of extra to use in cooking. Then we moved again this time to South Carolina. This time I was working on a Backyard habitat for birds and butterflies and wanted to attract the black swallowtail butterfly caterpillar I planted a lot of parsley including curly, flat leaf and cilantro along with dill, fennel and Queen Anne’s lace from seed. Once again I had a lot of extra for cooking but no caterpillars this time!

Most of my plants over wintered and were really huge. One day in late spring I went to pick some parsley for cooking and discovered my plant was stripped and I saw 5 or 6 fat caterpillars. Checking my other plants I discovered caterpillars on most of my plants. Since that time I always plant extra parsely, dill and fennel just to feed the caterpillars. Once in a while I’ll see a Black Swallowtail Chrysalides, and when I’m really lucky I see a butterfly recently emerged and drying its wings before flying off to find a flower.

Butterfly Gardening: A host plant for the Black swallowtail butterfly

Landscape uses: For small gardens, parsley makes a great edging for flowerbeds and borders. When used for this purpose, it is best to sow parsley seed thickly in late October or November in twin rows close together (3 or 4 inches apart).

Kitchen uses: Parsley is perhaps one of the most commonly used herbs in the kitchen. From a culinary standpoint, parsley can be used as an ingredient or garnish for most any dish.

Parsley Root: Parsley root can be served as a boiled vegetable.

Leaves: Whether fresh or dried, parsley leaves can add a touch of flavor and color to most any dish. Minced green leaves are often mixed with other vegetables just before being served. Parsley transforms plain, boiled potatoes to a new level particularly when young, red potatoes are used.

Whether you like to cook or just attract butterflies parsley is a good choice for your garden.

Sweet Peas – For a Fragrant garden

For the 3rd year in a row I planted Sweet peas and for the first year I got some to not only grow but also bloom. This year I planted them earlier (in February) and that could have been the difference since blooming is curtailed by heat. Mine are planted on trellis right outside my screened porch and what a wonderful fragrance every time I step out the door to let the dogs in or out! These annual climbers bear clusters of flowers in a wide variety of colors including red, pink, blue, white and lavender. They will bloom late spring into summer and in cooler climates, they can bloom through fall. Sweet Peas lend a cottage feel to gardens and can be grown on bamboo tripods. They are great in a vegetable garden as they attract bees and other pollinators needed in the vegetable garden.

Sweet pea vines have tendrils and will attach themselves to most any type of support with meshing or lines. Regular deadheading or cutting for display will keep them blooming longer. Sweet peas require regular watering, especially as the temperature increases.

If you love Fragrance in your garden try sweet peas.