RSS Feed
Print Story
E-mail Story
Watering, cutting keep plants going
| Monday, Jul 23 2007 8:50 AM
Last Updated: Monday, Jul 23 2007 8:52 AM
The dog days of summer are here, but your garden doesn't have to wither. The following expert tips will help your garden stay healthy this season:
BAKERSFIELD.COM HOT TOPICS:
Loading Stories
Advertisement
Photos:
Annuals should be in full bloom this time of year, so a quick trim is needed to help them thrive through the summer.
An insect discovers that a zinnia makes a nice perch. Now is a good time of year to inspect plants for unwanted visitors.
Water
* Obviously, you need to provide sufficient irrigation. The average water requirement in the summer is one-fourth of an inch of water per day for plants.
* Water early in the morning. It won't evaporate as quickly as it will in the afternoon. Plus, the wind is fairly calm in the morning, which well help the water stay put. Some people prefer watering at night but this means your plants will enter the evening wet, possibly leading to fungus problems.
* Inspect your irrigation system for plugged sprinkler heads and other faults. Make sure the timer is working properly. If you haven't adjusted the timer since winter, do so now.
* Don't water more than once a day. Over-watering can rot plants and encourage insects. Once a day should be sufficient if you're getting enough water to the rootball.
* Water new plantings by hand.
Fertilize
* If you planted annuals earlier this year and they're not blooming anymore, it's time to fertilize. This will promote new growth. As a bonus, healthy plants attract fewer bugs.
* Fertilize your plants at least once a month. Follow directions on the package.
* Fertilize early in the morning.
Cut back annuals
* Give your annuals, such as petunias, impatiens, begonias, verbenas and possibly marigolds, a haircut. Trimming the ends will force some new growth.
Mulch
* Put some mulch compost on top of the ground. Lay one-fourth to one-eighth of an inch next to tree trunks and plant stems and up to 3 to 4 inches elsewhere. The mulch will retain moisture.
Inspect the yard
* Keep an eye out for insects and plant diseases, which can surface in the summer. If you observe a problem, bring a clipping of the plant (in a plastic bag) to a nursery, which may be able to determine the problem.
Sources: John Karlik, adviser with the University of California Cooperative Extension, Kern County; Kathy Robinson from Robby's Nursery & Landscape Service; Jere White, owner of White Forest Nursery and co-host of The Garden Party radio show.