Summer Gardening

By this time of year most people have had enough of the Maintenance part of Gardening. It is very exciting in the spring planting new flowers and bulbs, cleaning out the beds to see what new is popping up and that fresh layer of mulch always look great. The fun of spring is long over and now it seems all we do is pull weeds and water to keep things going.

It is officially August and in New Jersey it is hot and humid. The lawns are stressed from lack of water, and some annuals have stretched out and look weedy from the heat.

Now is actually a great time to rejuvenate the garden. A good dose of TerraCycle Lawn Food is a great pick me up for a stressed out lawn. It contains worm castings and other all natural ingredients that can be applied anytime of year. (I would not recommend this with a chemical based fertilizer) TerraCycle also has a product for Gardens and an All purpose Food that is great for houseplants and hanging baskets. It will get your lawn looking great again and perk up your plants.

This time of year is also a great time to get fantastic deals at your local garden center. The garden center is now trying to get rid of their late spring stock to make room for Fall Mums and Asters. The discounts are pretty amazing. I just picked up some flats of Impatiens for $1.00 each. They have been pretty well cared for , but need to get out of those flats. Once you get them into larger pots, hanging baskets or the ground they will grow like crazy. Give them a good shot of organic fertilizer when you put them in and have fresh looking color well into late September. This is an inexpensive way to replace the annuals that are looking shabby.

The big box stores already have in their mums. For me it is way too early. Getting Mums and Asters that are in bloom now, when Fall actually gets here they will be long done blooming. These plants love the cool weather and will hold their blooms longer later in the season.

Try to keep from working during the hottest time of the day. Work in the yard early in the morning, before 10:00 or late in the day, after 4:00. And drink plenty of water, it is easy to get overheated working outside when it is over 90 degrees.

Your lawn will thank you for this burst of nutrients and you can enjoy some fresh new plants.
Put the fun back into your summer gardening.