Garden Clippings
Gardens struggle during hot, dry summer
By RUTH DAVIES
Article published on Thursday, July 26, 2007  |
Life changes, though one part of life remains static – gardening and weeding.
Tools have evolved and ease some of the animal and manpower, but plants still grow and weeds probably grow faster. We continue to grow the same plants our grandparents grew, although some have been hybridized to “improve” bloom.
Most chemicals have been removed from the market because of environmental damage, so gardeners must treat the soil organically.
Tomorrow, in the empty garden bed fork up the soil a little, dampen it and put a sheet of clear plastic, tucking in the edges with soil or with bricks.
Crape myrtles have been blooming for a while; cut off the seed heads to encourage it to set more flower buds. Leave heavy pruning for early spring, unless there is a serious crossing of branches. It’s a good idea to cut off the sucker growth coming up at the base.
If okra is your thing, cut it when it’s very young.
Rainwater has a different chemical composition from tap or well water, so although plants are watered, they don’t grow as well as when we get rain.
Use mulch where possible. Containers dry out quickly in the heat and need to be watered daily – sometimes twice a day. Stay cool, weed early in the morning and dream of cooler weather.
Ruth Davies is a Pinellas County Master Gardener. She can be reached at sunflower1368@juno.com.
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Article published on Thursday, July 26, 2007
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