Summer And Your Plants

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

19 Aug 2006 08:48 PM

Much has been written about the maintenance of plants during spring. It makes sense--many people are tired of being cooped up indoors and are itching to get outside and resurrect their frozen gardens. However, once summer hits I have found garden tips for seasonal harvests are not as plentiful. Perhaps, it's because experts assume summer conditions often yield blooms and bountiful crops without much effort. Or, perhaps, it's the other way around. Gardeners (like me) put so much time and energy into spring gardens that by summer they just want to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Whatever the case may be, summer should not be a time to neglect your plants and flowers. Here are a few summer garden tips that have served me well over the years:

Fruit Trees

Don't panic if you find a bunch of small fruits (like apples and pears) sitting on the ground near your trees. It's normal. Trees tend to drop fruit in July and August. The trees are just trying to get rid of smaller fruit, so they're not overburdened.

Tomato Plants

If you have tomato plants you may be having a hard time figuring out what to do with your bountiful crop. At this time of year tomatoes are in active growth, so feed them regularly. Remember to tie the tops into the cane and take out the side shoots. If for some reason you have tomatoes that aren't ripening, try hanging a couple of banana skins under the plant. The banana skins will help the tomato ripen.

Outdoor Plants in Planters

Camellias, Azaleas, and Rhododendrons are popular outdoor plants. However, to keep them alive during the warm summer months you must water them often or the buds won't fatten up and you won't get any flowers next year.

As for house plants, as long as they are hardy enough to survive the heat, you can leave them outside until the end of August.

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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Sheri Fresonke Harper (4092) 19 Aug 2006 11:54 PM

I'm one of the folks that sit back and let my garden grow in summer. I should do some deadheading to make things bloom longer. And I should trim up out of flower plants so everything looks beautiful. And I should weed so that my pretty flowers have room to expand.

Michele Cheplic (37349) 20 Aug 2006 04:20 AM

Sheri--You are my kinda gardener! I fall into the same rut. I keep thinking I need to get out there, but instead stand in the A/C and admire from inside :)