Today was a perfect summer day with cooling breezes, temperatures in the low 80s, and low humidity. The garden was looking good, but needed some watering and deadheading. I pruned back the thick peony stems that held blooms just a month ago. I also trimmed back the False Indigo but left the seed cases which are still green and not ripened yet to black.
I had to cut back all the Knock Out roses. They were damaged by something that has been corrected with a second application of
Bayer Advanced All-in-One Rose and Flower Care. I don't like to use these chemicals--and this year they don't seem to last more than four weeks before a repeat application is needed--but the garden would be eaten to shreds and invaded by disease if I didn't. I am going to apply the
English Lady's Manure Tea starting tomorrow to see if that organic "cure" will strengthen the plants enough so that I won't need to apply the chemicals at all--or so often.
I turned the soaker hoses on for about an hour and gave the potted plants a good dose of water. I'm plant sitting my neighbor's poinsettia and hibiscus. They look great already with the rain, and the sun, and daily turning to keep them straight. They also got a weak dose of the Bayer Advanced to protect them.
The daisies and the coneflowers are just coming into full bloom. They looked so fresh, I removed the old daffodil leaves that detracted from their pureness.
Ahh, summer!
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