Garden with an eye to next year
Performance reviews are a staple in the workplace. So too, our gardens and containers should be given thumbs up or needs improvement remarks — especially this time of the year. What worked? What didn’t? What were the growing conditions this past season? One thing is for certain, however, and that is that this has been an exceptionally dry year.
Meryl Coombs, president and general manager of SpruceIt Up Garden Centre and co- host of Let’s Talk Gardening heard on QR 77 Sunday mornings, concurs.
“It’s been very dry this year and a lot of trees are stressed out due to lack of water. Elms and ash are shutting down and spruces are definitely stressed out. Its ( spruce) natural defence when stressed is to produce lots of cones,” said Coombs.
He stressed trees are much more susceptible to disease and bugs. Birch leaf miner, aphids and weevils will make their presence felt on trees and spruces that are unhealthy. Now is a good time to prune birch and maple trees as well as fruit trees. Do not fertilize this time of the year but do put a slowsoaker hose on the drip line and water well, recommends Coombs.
“A lot of planters get neglected this time of year but there is still lots of time to revamp. If your pots are looking ratty, cut annuals back to one- third and feed regularly with either Rage Plus or Superbloom 10- 40- 25,” he said.
Coombs recommends fertilizing every time you water. Annuals the likes of alyssum and lobelia, if not watered properly throughout the season, will look particularly nasty about now and there is nothing you can do to revive them so yank them out and consider replacing with other annuals, if you can find some. Vegetables, believe it or not, can be a suitable substitute for tired annuals. Cool- loving veggies the likes of lettuce, radish, and Swiss chard are fast germinating and can be started from seed now and chances are, you’ll get a crop before the season ends.
Vale’s Greenhouse proprietor Katrina Diebel has a different take, however, and is of the belief that “tired can be salvaged.”
“Keep dead heading and fertilizing and you should be fine. There is no point replacing annuals now,” said Diebel. “Fertilize once a week with 20- 20- 20 and remember, fertilizer is food, not medicine.”
The good news about the hot summer of 2015 observes Diebel is that there is no mildew thanks to the warm evenings. And although it is far too early to contemplate the F- word ( frost), Diebel suggests you think about next season’s ( fall) containers. Her top picks are grasses, ornamental kale and onegallon pot evergreens.
If your lawn is looking a bit tired, now is the time to apply a good all purpose summer fertilizer and slow, deep watering will pay dividends. And if Fluffy and Fido have wreaked havoc on your turf over the summer, Dog Spot Prevent- an organic, granular fertilizer, works like a charm.
So as we slide into the end of summer, enjoy the fruits of your gardening labours.