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Calendar of Gardening To Do's
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Summer :
Oh the lazy days of summer! Unfortunately it is
not so lazy for those hard at work pests in your garden. What’s with all
the mold in your mulch and on your plants? The weather is beautiful, but
why are the newly planted treasures wilting? We hope that the following
information will make this lazy season a little less stressful and A LOT
MORE FUN!
Let’s
begin with the basics, WATER! If your foliage is thirsty in this hot
weather, you better make sure you keep them hydrated. Keep an eye on the
following checklist to keep your cool this summer.
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POWER -
if you have an automatic sprinkler system, make sure
you check connections for corrosion and battery leakage
damage. Make sure transformers are working. Check for frayed
or broken control wires.
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FLUSH SYSTEM - Remove line end caps and
run water until clear. |
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CLEAN
FILTERS - Clean screens. Replace filter elements and broken or
torn filter screens.
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ADJUST TIMER
SETTINGS -
Adjust for changes in rain, or lack there of.
Watering early in the morning saves water due to lower wind
dispersal and reduced evaporation
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VISUAL
CHECK - Turn on your sprinkler system and check to see if all
sprinkler heads are working. Are you watering the street or
sidewalk? Are there obstructions preventing the water from
reaching the areas you want it to
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Planting in
the Summer:
You do not need to avoid planting during the hot summer
months, but do keep these helpful hints in mind to ensure you grow
healthy happy plants.
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Postpone planting on days when it is going to be extremely
hot. Store your new plants in a shady place until a cooler day
and make sure you water them often to keep their roots moist,
(maybe twice a day). |
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Do not bury the root ball deeper than it was growing in
the nursery container. Plants can die if new soil is placed on
top of the original root ball. |
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Instead of giving new plants a shallow, but steady
watering, (as a drip system would), offer your plants a deeper
watering of 2 or more gallons every 3 days or so their roots
become accustomed to looking deeper for water. Plants
receiving frequent, shallow water have shallow roots that dry
out very quickly in the heat. |
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Avoid fertilizing thirsty
plants. Typical fertilizers can burn on a hot day. Thoroughly
water one day and fertilize the next day. |
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It is not too late to plant summer blooming bulbs,
especially here in California, try some dahlias or cannas.
There is still time for quick-blooming summer seeds such as
sunflowers, nasturtiums, and
cosmos. |
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| Garden Pests :
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The summer can be a killer when in
comes to pests in your garden. Pests such as aphids, whiteflies, and
mildew can really get out of control if you do not catch them early
and stay on top of them. Inspect your plants; look for pests to
begin emerging. If you catch them early enough, you can purchase
beneficial insects to help control the damage. (Make sure you avoid
chemical pesticides if you are going to use predatory insects, as
the pesticide will kill both good and bad insects.) If you mix one
part sugar to four parts water and spray your plants with the
mixture before you release the beneficial insects, they will stay
longer. The following is a list of predatory insects and the pesky
insects they like to eat. |
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Predator |
Pests They
Eat |
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Assassin Bugs |
almost
any small and immature insects,
caterpillars |
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Ground Beetles |
aphids,
caterpillars, cutworms, and insect larvae; some eat slugs
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| Lacewings |
thrips,
aphids, spider mites, caterpillar eggs, and
leafhoppers |
| Ladybugs |
aphids,
mealybugs, and small insects |
| Praying Mantis |
aphids,
beetles, flies, and small insects |
| Hover Flies * |
aphids
and mealybugs |
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| *Have striped bodies, may be mistaken for
a bee or wasp | |
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| Pruning and
Deadheading:
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