July Gardening Activities – Region 3
Northeast, Midwest and Central Plains Gardens
States in this region include: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana.
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Keep watering your plants - but don't be wasteful. Rain barrels, mulch and water polymers are just a few water conservation techniques you can practice to help your garden, as well as the environment.
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Come to The Garden Party and share your gardening adventures with other home gardeners around the country! Post pictures of your garden, write a blog or ask expert green thumbs for more help, tips or suggestions.
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Give your summer lawn a refreshing drinkrepeatedly. Turf needs long, thorough waterings, especially in high temps. Give it 1-2 inches of water per week, with as much of that in one application as possible, to help keep the grass healthy and green. (But be prepared: It could take several hours to apply that needed amount of water.)
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Keep your summer vegetable garden in production mode with succession plantings. As one crop finishes, rip it out, compost it, and then plant another! Here are some examples: If you plant a row or two of beans this month, you'll have ample beans for blanching and freezing for the winter months ahead. And radish is a quick crop - depending on the variety, you could be harvesting this veggie in 4 short weeks!
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Think ahead! Start seed of cool-season crops like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts for harvesting later this fall. Seeds can be directly sown in your vegetable garden or started in seed trays for transplanting in the garden later this summer.
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Enjoy local harvests - and not just from your garden! Fruits and vegetables are making their summer appearance at local roadside and farmers' markets, too. Buy a little extra for storing and preserving - and think of the local homegrown goodness you'll enjoy months from now.
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Continue to harvest vegetables in your garden as they ripen, and remember to share any excess produce - perhaps with a food co-op or shelter. (This is a thoughtful act of kindness, as well as a great lesson for the kids!)
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Savor fresh peaches! Select ones that are firm to slightly soft and bruise-free. (The best sign of ripeness is a creamy or golden undertone and a fresh fragrance.) Avoid peaches with a green tone or greenish skin around the stem - that means the fruit has been picked too early.
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Mulch your landscape beds, if you haven't already! A few inches of organic mulch is all you need to keep weeds at bay, conserve needed soil moisture and protect roots from the scorching sun. (A word to the wise: Never mound mulch around the crown or trunk of plants; keep it a few inches away.)
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Wear loose, light-colored, lightweight clothing when working in the garden. (And don't forget the hat, sunscreen and water bottle!) Early morning and evening hours are the coolest times to work outside. Remember to pace yourself - the garden will be there tomorrow.
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Keep blooming annuals looking their best: Deadhead any spent flowers (to encourage more blooms), keep up with watering (check beds and containers daily), and liquid-feed (according to label directions) to encourage additional flowers throughout the season.
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Get out your camera and garden journal - it's time to take inventory of what's doing well (and what's struggling) in your garden! Documenting how your garden grows will help you decide what to plant next season. They say a picture's worth a thousand words, so photograph the good (for replication next year), capture the bad (so mistakes aren't repeated) and avoid the ugly next year.
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Care for and maintain perennials: Deadhead any spent flowers; cut back catmint to encourage another round of blooms; hand-pull any weeds that crop up; and divide, clean and reset iris rhizomes.
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Enlist a trustworthy neighbor or gardening friend to care for your lawn and garden while you're away on vacation. To make sure your plants (and friendship) survive, invite your "garden babysitter" over to your yard before you leave, so you can clearly discuss your task expectations.
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