Summer Gardening Reminders
With Summer in full swing, now is the time to make sure your plants have what they need to survive the season's excessive heat. Here are a few tips to help keep your landscape looking lush and beautiful regardless of the temperatures.
Watering
Particularly in times of excessive heat, it is critical to keep an eye (or a finger) on the soil, especially in containers and hanging baskets. During the summer, wilting can happen in the blink of an eye when soil is dry. Containers and hanging baskets are prone, more so than in-ground plantings, to dry quickly during the hot, often arid days of summer. Check potted plants frequently, even daily, and water when the soil feels dry to a depth of about 2 inches.
It's best to water tropical plants (indoors and outdoors) with lukewarm or room-temperature water. Be sure to keep up with your watering routine as a missed day in severe heat can have detrimental effects. Having the right watering supplies handy can make all the difference this time of year. Hoses, hose nozzles, sprayers, hose storage containers, watering cans and other watering accessories are a must-have for the season and can minimalize the time and effort you spend out in the heat slaving in the garden. Make things as easy for yourself as possible so that gardening can be a delight rather than a chore.
Need Equipment?
Visit one of our stores or shop online and browse the many watering tools that you could use to keep your garden in tip-top summer shape!
Fertilizing
Outdoor plants and flowers grow more rapidly than they do indoors and may need more fertilizer. Be sure to feed regularly, especially plants in containers and hanging baskets. How often will depend on the fertilizer you use. Many water soluble solutions will only last 2 weeks, but many granular fertilizers can last as long as 6 - 8 months! Improper doses can be harmful so be sure to mix and used each fertilizer as directed. It's also a good idea to periodically flush the soil in pots to prevent fertilizer build-up by watering heavily. Keep pouring until you see water dripping out of the drainage holes of your container. Do this every 3 - 4 months.
Good Choices
Visit one of our stores or shop online and browse the many fertilizers that will feed your garden with all the nutrients it needs to flourish!