|
|
Gardening Calendar
Heat and humidity are not great gardening companions, but they are what we
have to work in. Try to get your gardening chores done early in the day. Most
fruits and vegetables taste better if harvested before the heat of the day has
set in. Herbs are best harvested in the morning after any dew has dried but
before the heat of the day sets in. Many of our summer vegetables are at peak
harvest. Knowing what to look for can ensure that you get the most from your
garden. Sweet corn is ripe when the silks begin to turn brown and dry. Take a
peek on one or two of the ears by pulling back the shuck and pressing into a
kernel or two. If it gives off a milky liquid, and the ear is fully formed,
harvest. The quicker you can go from garden to table, the sweeter the corn will
be. Cantaloupes and watermelons tend to be at their sweetest if it is a bit on
the dry side during harvest. Too much rainfall tends to dilute the sugars. When
cantaloupes are ripe the stems should easily separate from the vine, the fruits
should develop a light tan webbing pattern and the blossom end should be
slightly soft and smell like cantaloupe. Ripe watermelons will have a dry curly
brown tendril at stem end, a dullish sheen on the fruit and a white to yellow
underbelly. Keep picking your cucumbers as they mature, because letting old
fruit stay on the vines will slow down future production. Fresh okra is best
when picked they are small, no larger than two to three inches. The bigger they
get, the tougher the pods are. If you have already harvested and some of your
vegetables have played out, this is the season to replant for a fall harvest.
Water and mulch will make your job easier, but do monitor for insects and
diseases.
We have so many outstanding summer annuals that it is often hard to pick
which ones to plant. Pay attention to those in your garden and make notes on
which ones are taking the heat. The many wave and supertunias are outstanding
and should be in full bloom, but only if you have kept up with fertilization. If
you haven’t given them enough fertilizer you may not see as many blooms. If they
have stopped blooming, give them a haircut, fertilize and water and they should
rebound with flowers through frost. Angelonia, sweet potato vine and some of the
new Cuphea’s are outstanding. 'Flamenco Cha Cha' had great big red flowers and
just doesn’t stop. Remember that annuals are only around for one season so keep
up with watering and fertility and if they look bad, pinch them back or start
over. Nurseries today keep annuals in stock almost year round, so replanting is
a possibility.
Hand in hand with summer annuals are the summer tropical’s. Hibiscus,
bananas, mandevillas, and plumerias all put on quite a show in the garden or in
containers on the patio. They too thrive in heat and humidity but do like to be
kept watered and fertilized. Especially if you are growing them in containers,
you are constantly watering to keep them alive. Water leaches out the nutrition
so once every week or two fertilize with a water soluble fertilizer. Monitor for
pests. Remember to make sure there is ample water in the containers when using
any pesticide or fertilizer when it is hot and dry. If the plants are stressed,
they may get burned with any extra additions.
For most shrubs we have entered into the general maintenance of watering now.
The exception would be for gardenias and bigleaf and oak leaf hydrangeas
(Hydrangea macrophylla and H. quercifolia respectfully). These three summer
bloomers set flower buds in late August and September. If they have overgrown
their location or need some general shaping early July is the last time to get
it done—as soon after flowering is best. Avoid any pruning on spring blooming
shrubs as they too will soon begin to set flower buds. Summer blooming shrubs
should be in their prime. Deadhead spent flowers to ensure more blooms. Crape
myrtles, althea, butterfly bush and summer spirea are all blooming along with
clethra, hydrangeas and still some gardenias.
Mowing the lawn can become a tedious chore this time of year, but keeping the
lawn healthy with regular watering is important. You can often tell who is and
isn’t watering by the look of the lawn. Daily watering is never good, but do
make sure that an inch to an inch and a half are put down weekly. One last
application of fertilizer can be applied in late August to early September on
Bermuda, St. Augustine and Zoysia lawns. Don’t fertilize centipede or tall
fescue at this time.
We still have some great Arkansas fruit to be harvested or purchased at
Farmer’s Markets. Fresh figs are coming into ripeness now. Remember that birds
and squirrels like them as much as you do. Bird netting can help, but you can
also allow the trees to get taller to give them some of the fruit out of your
reach and leave the bottom fruit for you. Peaches are in season and they are
wonderful. If you are going to a u-pick farm, always call before driving out to
make sure they are open. Again, with the heat, most people get their early, so
you want to make sure the field isn’t picked out before you arrive. Knowing when
a peach if ripe is important. Peaches will have a good solid color, a strong
peach aroma and separate easily from the tree when ripe. If they are green and
hard, don’t pick them. Peach flavor will not improve with time once they are
picked.
|
