Summer Gardening....August

 Well here we are at the end of my garden by calendar.  I started this last year the first of September for fall gardening.  Now I have completed all twelve months. 

For most of the United States, it was a warmer than usual winter, warm spring and really warm summer.  It isn't over yet....some states are still pretty darn warm.


Let's see what is up with August gardening!

Here are some gardening and landscaping tips:

• Water: more of the same....water deeply and infrequently, 2 to 3 times a week at 20 to 30 minutes at a time no more than that is required.  If you are watering during daylight hours you are wasting water via evaporation and running the risk of burning what you are watering since water acts like a magnifying glass to the sun...

• Prune: get rid of dead limbs, dead flowers and damaged wood, even thin out to promote more growth.

• Fertilize: again fertilize only as a last resort if you have not been amending your soil through compost mulching.  If you must fertilize go organic, synthetic chemicals do more damage than good.

• Pest control: release ladybugs, green lacewings and praying mantids these are beneficial bugs they will get rid of pests you do not want in your garden.  If you are dealing with grub worms, water that area a lot to drown them and buy beneficial nematodes to kill them.  Of course my all time favorite thing to use, food grade diatomaceous earth, not the kind used in pools, put them in ant mounds, great to rub on your dogs for fleas and ticks, dust around base of trees especially fruit trees.

• Plant: tomatoes, wildflower seeds, mums, marigolds, fall flowering bulbs, plant fall vegetables

• Extras: again be sure to leave grass clippings on your yard do not rake them.

What are you doing with your summer yard to prepare it for fall?  Trying a new vegetable garden?  What about fruit trees? 

I would love to hear from you......enjoy the outdoors!!!  Deanne

*image credit by Microsoft

Summer Gardening....July

Phew...we are in the middle of the heat now with our gardens and landscaping taking a beating.  Let's take a look at some summer gardening tips to get us through.

Here are some tips and suggestions:

• Water: deeply and infrequently.  You should only be watering 2 to 3 times per week for 20 to 30 minutes maximum between the hours of 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM.  If you are watering after 5:00 am and on you are losing water due to evaporation, so you are just wasting water.

• Prune: Now I have not done a good job with pruning this summer.  Trying to find a time of day that the temperature is not blazing hot has been a struggle.  However, try to get out a prune dead limbs or branches, remove dead flower heads and trim roses.

• Fertilize: If you think you have not amended your soil enough with compost then get an organic fertilizer because chemical fertilizers are too potent and pollute our water ways.

• Pest Control: ant mounds can be suppressed with citrus pulp, dust everywhere with food grade diatomaceous earth, beneficial nematodes helps rid fleas, ticks and chiggers, spray spider mites with a garlic pepper tea or a liquid seaweed.  Pull weeds by hands or hula hoe.

• Plant: start seeds indoors for seasonal vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, melons.

• Extras: remember leave grass clippings on the grass, throw mulch on bare soil, put liquid seaweed on plants to reduce heat stress.

Remember keep your head covered with a great fantastic hat that provides enough cover to your ears and face.  Wear sunscreen, protective breathable clothing and drink lots of water.  Believe it or not long sleeve shirts that is tightly woven made with natural material not synthetic will keep you cooler than shorts and short sleeved shirts.

I would love to see your oasis from the heat in your yard!

Enjoy your gardening......Deanne

*image credit provided by Microsoft clip art.

Summer Gardening....June

 Here in the southwest of the United States summer hit weeks ago!  I missed the cutoff to plant Corsican Mint as a ground cover for my yard especially my front yard, seen here on the right.  Corsican Mint is a great ground cover for places like the southwest, it is hardy and drought tolerant.  I am not a fan of the landscape rocking that goes on here in the SW....it sucks in the sun all day then radiates all evening and night making everything around it warmer...blah!  Not to mention, just lacks color, pizazz and if one weed shows up in the rocks...watch out for that HOA (home owners association).

So now that I am passed the ability to plant some ground cover right now or most other plants for that matter.  It is maintenance, care, nurture and pest control during these hot summer days and nights.



Onward...tally ho...brace for the dog days of summer gardening...

Here are some tips for summer:

• Water: outdoor potted plants need water twice a day, water everything else deeply
 
• Prune: dead head shrubs and trees, remove any damaged wood.
 
• Fertilize: if you have been composting and spreading that all over your beds and garden, extra fertilizer isn't absolutely necessary.  However if you are trying to bring up the nutrients in your soil get organic fertilizer to use on all planting areas.
 
• Pest Control: summer is the time for pests... use food grade diatomacous earth for fleas, ticks, and chiggers (I even put it on my dogs) and/or release beneficial nematodes, release tichogramma wasps for bagworms
 
• Plant: there are some summer planting. pumpkins for October, palms, cacti, fall tomatoes, desert trees, bermuda grass, lantana, amaranthus, bougainvillea
 
• Extras: if you have grass leave clippings on it instead of raking up they feed your lawn and retain moisture, de-thatch lawn, add mulch to all bare soil, check irrigation

Some pest other tips:

 
• Vinegar 20% grade for weeds: I do not mix with water but I sometimes add Orange Oil 2 oz per 16 oz vinegar.
• Gin Weed Control: 1 oz gin 1 oz apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp. baby shampoo 1 quart water
• Alcohol Weed control: 1 quart water 1 to 5 tbsp of rubbing alcohol
• Outdoor Ant Control 1 to 2 gallons of boiling hot water pour on ant hole
• Indoor Ant Control 1 tbsp boric acid 1 tbsp mint jelly or peanut butter 1 cracker small cardboard box. Put holes in box put mixture on cracker put in box place box in high ant traffic area but KEEP AWAY from kids and pets...
• Ant Control: little safer option food grade diatomaceous earth use liberally or 1/2 cream of wheat it causes ants to explode
• Cockroach bait: 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup boric acid

What are you planting this summer? 

Do you have any organic gardening, weeding or pest control tips?

Happy Gardening!!!

~Deanne

Next post Global Access Media...I began a post last week about them but apparently I lost it all since well I didn't hit save...if you must really know!!! :-\

Spring Gardening....May

May has arrived, time for spring gardening!  My son above says he wants this water feature in our backyard attached to a pool! Lofty ideas he has for our backyard.

May Gardening Tips:

 

• Water: Continue to water deeply and infrequently.
• Prune: after blooming dead head roses, then trees, shrubs, flowering vines after bloom.
• Fertilize: citrus, lawns. choose an organic fertilizer synthetic fertilizer can be too harmful and toxic.
• Pest/Weed Control: weed using mechanical devices such as your hands or hoes etc. If too lazy to pull with your hands (wink wink nudge nudge) or you just have too many weeds to possibly get to in one day then go organic. Arbico and Earth Easy are excellent choices.  Pests such as fleas, ticks, caterpillars, cabbage loopers, aphids, ants check these options from Arbico and Earth Easy.  I use citrus oil, garlic-pepper tea, food grade diatomaceous earth, and beneficial nematodes a lot!
• Plant: trees, shrubs, hibiscus, bougainvillea, hot weather vegetables and ground covers.
• Extras: leave lawn clippings on your lawn best for protection and feeds the lawn. Add mulch to all bare soil you will have to use less and less fertilizer if you are adding mulch regularly to your soil, flower beds and garden.

Enjoy spring gardening...hopefully you are not already in the 100 degree weather such as the Southwest.  If so protect those plant roots and moisture retention with a healthy dose of compost mulch!!!  Protect your skin with sunscreen, drink lots of water and get some exercise by pulling some weeds by hand...

~Deanne