Thoughts on gardening in July

7 - 16 - 2012

So now it’s here, the dreaded heat that begins well before noon and lasts until midnight! July and August are the “acid test” for your garden and will test your personal commitment in keeping your garden going and your own temperature cool. 

July and August are good times to really evaluate your plantings and overall design, and decide if any changes or editing need to take place – and if so September is just around the corner. 

 Succulents are a plant species that have been used for years in Europe and in warmer climates of the U.S. They have finally been popularized and are now available even at nurseries in Lowe’s and Home Depot. My succulents are thriving in this hottest weather of the year, and you can see my favorites and why I like them so much. 


Top Things to do in July

• Adequate water is now a must – but please still pay attention to the weather. 
 • Water your containers every morning…this can be a must to get them through the day. 
• Adjustments to your automatic sprinkler system may be needed – remember to water early in the day – not at night. 
• If you do need to water during the heat of the day – be careful not to get water on the plant foliage. 
• I hand water newer plantings like roses and some perennials if needed. 
• Evaluate your garden – do you have the right plant in the right spot? • Are your petunias or geraniums looking bad in your containers – you can still refresh your containers with heat loving plants like Angelonia, Purslane, lantana and blue daze. 
• Continue to dead head your annuals and perennials – they will reward you with fresh blossoms – especially Nepata, Penta, and roses. 
• Continue to support your roses and climbing vines – they are still putting on new growth even if they aren’t blooming…this fall you will understand why you did this. 
 • In addition to dead heading your cone flowers – be sure to take the seed heads and cut them up and sprinkle the seeds around your existing plants – there are literally several hundred seeds in each head of a cone flower! 

Best of the Season 

• Crepe Myrtle, Vitex (Texas Lilac), carpet and landscape roses 
• Bermuda Grass – bring the heat on! 
• All Ornamental Grasses – flower plumes are emerging 
• Perennials –Perovskia (Russian Sage) Cone Flowers, Hosta 
• Annuals – Periwinkle, purslane, penta, lantana, dusty miller, blue daze scaveola
 
Image Source: RieFlections Flickr

Tri-Color Sedum – I love to use this in any succulent pairing but also as spiller in my boxwood pots. 

Image Source: Monrovia

Blue Spruce Sedum – love this blue sedum it looks great when paired with anything yellow or gold. 

Image Source: ECGrowers
 
Silver Mound Artemesia – one of my favorite drought tolerant plants – also use this as an edging border in my beds and as a spiller in all of my containers. 

Image Source: Peace Tree Farm

Angelina Sedum – love this chartreuse colored sedum – I use it in pots for a year round element. 

Image Source: American Meadows

Silver Mound Artemesia – a great and hardy drought-tolerant perennial – looks as good as a plant border as a spiller in containers.
Image Source: Pinterest


Image Source: Midwest Living



Happy Gardening- Terry 
Comments (14151)