July Garden To-Do List

The July garden is mostly to enjoy--but there are a few chores new gardeners should know about:

• Keep the bird bath full.  Clean it out with a stream of water or scrub it with a brush (used only on the bird bath!) if it gets scummy.
• Remove infected leaves and discard in sealed trash.
• Keep fertilizing your annual flower containers every two weeks with Peter's Bloom Booster.
• Daily keep weeds from going to seed.
• Deadhead annuals so they don't expend energy producing seed.
• Cut back perennials that are done or will bloom a second time (daisies, Salvias, catmint)
• Fertilize your roses each month.
• Do your final pinching of asters, mums, etc by mid-July.
• Water, water, water the first year, but deeper and longer in between as plants settle into the garden.
• Enjoy the color and fragrance and wildlife!

A list compiled from many web sites, but especially from Natureworks.

The yellow border:

Yellow tickseed, first year transplanted.

Yellow-peach daylily 'Mini Pearl'

Helenium starting to bloom yellow-orange-brown

Orange-yellow perennial sunflower Helianthus

The last three are 8 year veterans!

Another bloom on the "Endless Summer' Hydrangea!
Hurrah!
Don't give up on the slow starters damaged by winter.

A busy bee in the annual containers near the bench.

And he's there also! Unidentified flying wasp-like insect!
For safety, know your wildlife!

The shades of purple behind the bench:

Buddleia, Cleome, Gaura.
I thought the butterfly bush was a goner after winter
and look at its magenta color now.
I did feed it heavily in the spring.

And the daylilies fill the middle border

but need constant deadheading.

July is the best month in the garden!