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Timely Garden Tips
Timely Garden Tips
Father’s Day
Father’s Day is around the corner and summer is almost here.
Now that most areas are in the frost-free time of the year it is safe to plant your flowers, vegetables and herbs.
Flower Garden
Flowers such as summer bulbs like caladiums, calla lilies, cannas, dahlias, elephant ears and gladioli should be planted into your flower garden.
Finish planting your perennial flowers. The seeds of fast-growing annuals such as cosmos, marigolds, nasturtiums, phlox and zinnias can be direct sown in your flower garden.
Vegetable Garden
Vegetables such as acorn squash, beans, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, collards, cucumbers, eggplant, kale, lettuce, peas, peppers, radish, spinach, Swiss chard, tomatoes, yellow squash and zucchini can be planted now in your vegetable garden.
Plant your tall vegetables in a north to south direction so that they do not shade each other. Make the best use of the sun, plant your cucumbers on the north side of your planting bed on a trellis. In front you can plant shorter plants such as peppers, parsley, onions and vining crops.
Helpful Tip
Peppers need a little support such as a stake or small cage to keep them from falling over. Tomatoes do best if they are tied to stakes. Instead of using string, repurpose an old tee shirt. Starting at the bottom, start cutting a strip 1/2 to 3/4-inch wide, turning the shirt as you cut, until you reach the arms. You should now have a nice long strip of cloth that is strong enough and stretches a bit. Cut off a piece and loosely tie your tomatoes as well as anything else that needs tying.
Herb Garden
Herbs such as basil, chives, dill, mint, onion, oregano, parsley, rosemary can be planted now in your herb garden.
A natural mulch such as shredded leaves or pine straw can be placed around your flowers and vegetables. This will help prevent weed growth, improve soil texture and retain moisture in the soil.
Shrubs and Trees
Look over your andromeda, forsythia, hydrangea, lilac, roses, viburnum and other shrubs and trees. Examine them for winter damage. Prune all dead and weakened wood. On flowering shrubs do not do any pruning until they have finished flowering.
Be sure to visit your local farmer’s market.
Timely Quote:
“What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months, and with as yet no sign to remind one that its fresh young beauty will ever fade.” - Gertrude Jekyll
How softly runs the afternoon
Beneath the billowy clouds of June!
–Charles Hanson Towne (1877-1949)
Successful gardeners use the principle of working with nature to practice the easy, economical and environmental methods that can make gardening relaxing and rewarding.
Flowers that grow on spikes are a favorite among many gardeners. Coleus, foxglove, gladiolus, hyacinth, lavender, obedient plant, orchid and salvia are some common flowers that grow on spikes.
Are You a Gardener?
Many people do not think of themselves as gardeners. If you have a lawn, a few houseplants or grow some flowers and vegetables, you are a gardener.
It can range from beautifying your home to providing wholesome organic food for your family.
Gardening Can Be Easy and Relaxing
You might have just a few houseplants in containers on a window, patio or deck.
If you have more space it might be a small flower bed or a larger area to attract butterflies, hummingbirds and honey bees.
Some will concentrate on roses of every color and type. Others search for as many different varieties of flowers that they can find.
If you have a sunny location it could also be a few tomato plants in containers or a large area for vegetables and herbs that will feed the entire family with enough to preserve for the winter.
Keep It Simple
If you are new to gardening the secret is to keep it easy and start small. Each year you can expand your garden a little more. Your native soil may be very sandy or it may be heavy clay with a lot of rocks. For plants to grow properly you will need good garden soil by adding organic material to the native soil.
One year you may plant some flowers or shrubs along the front of your home. The next year add a flower bed along the driveway. And the year after that a flower bed around your mailbox or the tree in the front yard.
A vegetable garden works the same way. Plant what your family likes to eat. You may start with 100-square feet and plant half of it with tomatoes and the rest with lettuce, Swiss chard, parsley, dill and basil. These will supply you with fresh vegetables and herbs continuously during the summer.
Next year as you improve the soil you can expand your vegetable garden to include peas, beans, carrots, beets, zucchini, cucumbers, etc. By growing your own food you can be assured that your food is truly organic and free of pesticides.
It does not have to be a big project if you break it down into smaller easy to do steps. If you spend 10 or 15-minutes each day or every other day it never gets ahead of you.
Environment
Composting your yard and kitchen waste is also one small step. Composting is environmentally friendly and you will keep from adding to the landfills. Adding finished compost will also improve your soil and fertilize it at the same time. It is nature’s way of recycling.
Mulching around your plants with leaves collected in the fall will improve the soil and at the same time make your flower garden and vegetable garden almost entirely weed free.
Gardening Thought
“Earth is here so kind
That just tickle her
With a hoe and she
Laughs with a harvest”
- Douglas William Jerrold (1803-1857)
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