SUMMER GARDENING TIPS

Summer is the time when you can sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor in the garden! Your main concern at this point should be to give your plants ample amounts of water, especially those being grown in containers. The amount of water that your plants will need is going to depend greatly on our weather. On hot, dry days you should be prepared to water daily. A good rule of thumb is to water thoroughly each time. Thorough watering will allow the plants' roots to grow deeper, which means they will dry out less easily. Applying a fresh layer of mulch will also help retain moisture. Try to do your watering in the early morning so that the leaves have enough time to dry before the hot sun hits them. Evening watering is fine, but make sure there is still enough time for the
foliage to dry before it gets dark. Avoid overhead watering as it will promote mildew. (Prolonged wet foliage makes plants susceptible to fungus.) Be sure to feed your plants regularly throughout the growing season with the appropriate fertilizer. Give us a call and we will guide you in the right direction.

Continue to dead head (remove dead flowers) and fertilize with a bloom booster plant food so that your annuals will continue to flower throughout the summer. Pull out any dead or diseased annuals and replace with new, fresh plants - Chelsea Garden Center stocks beautiful pots of colorful flowers all season long! Keep an eye out for pests, such as mealybug, aphids and scale. It's inevitable that they will show up, so keep them at bay with your choice of insecticide from Chelsea Garden Center. Call today, and ask about our totally organic pest control – Ladybugs! Trees and shrubs should be pruned for shape after they have finished flowering. Remove any dead or diseased branches. Dead head the developing seed pods from your Rhododendrons and Azaleas to improve the blooms for next spring, but be careful not to damage next years buds which may be right below the pod. Correct pruning technique is important! Come in and speak to one of our expert gardeners for more detailed advice. If you are thinking of bringing, or have already brought, your houseplants outside for the summer, remember to place them in a shady spot to avoid leaf burn. They have acclimated to the light you have given them indoors, and full sun outside is going to be too strong for them. They may attract some garden pests, so plan to treat them before bringing them inside in the fall. Be sure to check our gardening calendar in September for more of Chelsea Garden Center's advice on prepping your houseplants for their transition back indoors.

Following these tips during the midsummer months will keep your garden looking fresh and tidy.