Pat yourself on the back. We made it through the May snowstorm. We made it through the 95-degree days of July. Then we made it through a few rainy monsoon days. Now we are back to the 95 degree days. But next week will bring a cool down, including night temperatures which will take us through the end of the month. Don’t give up on your flowers because there is a lot of beautiful flowering weather ahead!
Even when temperatures are 85-90 degrees, still check flowers twice daily for water, in the morning and again in the evening. Some pots/beds may require additional water applications to fight the heat.
But don’t get caught over-watering when temps cool down again.
Keep up with your regular fertilizer regime.
Get a second bloom from many tired annuals such as petunias and calibrachoas by cutting them back now with a sharp pair of garden shears and then fertilizing with Jack’s Blossom Booster. Fresh flowers will arrive in a couple of weeks.
Where a plant has failed, consider filling the hole with a splash of color. Creek Side has a great selection that will work perfectly!
Bring some color to your porch and patio this weekend! Great selection of summer blooming Grown Fresh Big Summer Color, “instant color” to create your special project or decorate an upcoming event.
How are your tomatoes growing?
Now is the time to apply Fertilome Tomato & Pepper Set to help promote flowering, increase blossom set and increase fruit yield. It is a natural plant hormone that provides Biological Grow Power when applied to flowers and adjacent foliage.
Problems with Blossom End Rot? The dark grey, black-sunken area on the blossom end of tomatoes. Keep the soil moisture even to help the plant transport calcium to the fruit. Extra watering may be necessary on 90 degree days. Fertilome Yield Booster will help stop and prevent blossom end rot caused by calcium deficiency when applied to foliage after fruit initiation and during sizing period. Or consider adding an application of Hi-Yield Calcium Nitrate to the soil to boost the calcium availability to the plant.
Japanese beetles still around!
Due to the cool start to the season, Japanese beetle got a little bit of a late start. That means they will be sticking around for several more weeks. Keep knocking them off in bowl of soapy water. They are more docile in the early morning and will not fly away as you knock them off. Continue to allow your lawn to dry more than normal to discourage them from laying eggs in your lawn. They have a difficult time penetrating the dry soil at the very top of your lawn. Damage on individual plants may be patchy, concentrated where aggregations of feeding beetles occur. If they are completely out of control, apply Natural Guard Spinosad Soap or Bonide Eight for greater control.
Still Time to Plant
Perennials, roses, shrubs and trees can be planted now particularly on a cloudy day or early or late in the day. The soil is warm which will encourage new root growth between right now and the beginning of fall. This will result in a big head-start for new plant growth next year.
Fertilize perennials and shrubs lightly now to make sure they have all the building blocks they need to get ready for fall.
