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...because all the best garden advice is local

June 20, 2013
Outrunning the Weeds
Greetings! 

     

Veronica on the porch We finally have our first stretch of truly warm weather, and that's making the weeds come out in force. A spell of rainy weather, followed by a few hot days, does it every time.

   It's almost magic. I can see the weeds grow bigger practically by the hour. I've already done at least one or two passes of weeding everywhere in the garden. I've also mulched the beds with 1 or 2 inches of shredded bark mulch or grass clippings (in the vegetable garden). But even that can't hold down some weeds.

   I try to make a daily stroll through the garden, a 5-gallon bucket and weeding tool in hand, taking care of small area or two and yanking out any truly large, obnoxious weeds. I also keep a pair of hand shears in my back pocket or on hand to deadhead spent flowers.

   This is one of the nicest seasons in the garden. The spring rush is over; the oppressive heat of late summer hasn't begun. A good time to sit down and enjoy a glass of wine--if only I could sit!

 

Happy Gardening,

Veronica Lorson Fowler

What's Eating My Garden?

 

Weeds aren't the only thing that's out in force. So are the pests! The first step in getting rid of garden pests is knowing what they are. Click here to figure out the top white tailed deer culprits in Iowa, and how you can combat them.

   Want to know what specifically is eating your plants? Post your question (with a photo, if possible) on The Iowa Gardener Facebook page and I'll do my best to answer it! (You'll need to friend us first, if you haven't already.)  

 

 

Roundup Confessions 

 

weed between flagstones - a target for herbicide

In the interest of complete transparency, I will confess that I have been once again using Round-Up on my garden. Round-Up,
 
an herbicide that kills or damages any small plant you spray it on, sounds like it must be the worst garden chemical around. But actually, it's probably one of the least bad. It breaks down relatively quickly, so unless you are disposing of it or using it incorrectly (and please don't!), it's not going to get into water supplies or have dangerous residues in the soil.

   And I find it unbeatable for killing and keeping away all those tiny weeds between flagstones, in my gravel paths, and elsewhere. But be aware that it's effective (from my perspective) only on very small plants, you may need to do a repeat spray or two, and you need to do it on a dry day when rain won't wash it right off.

   My preference is to use as few synthetic chemicals in my garden as possible, but Round-Up is one of those for which I'll make an exception.

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Deadhead-O-Rama

 

screen grab of video of deadheading daylillies I've also been doing lots of deadheading in my garden, that is, trimming off spent blooms. This not only makes my garden look tidier, it also encourages many plants to bloom longer.

    My video crew and I (that is, my teenage son and myself) made some videos to show how to deadhead different kinds of flowers. I hope you find them helpful!

 

How to Deadhead Peonies

 

How to Deadhead Daylilies (and other long-stalked flowers)

 

How to Dead Coreopsis (and other plants with many small flowers)

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Issue: 83

Monthly To-Do

 

Water! Remember what that is like? :-) Some containers will need a daily soaking this time of year. Annuals, new plantings of perennials and trees and shrubs, and new grass plantings also need special attention.  

 

 Weed, weed, weed! Get them now while they're small and prevent big problems later. Click here for tips on how to wipe out max weeds in minimum time. 

 

 After weeding, continue to finish off your work with a nice layer of wood bark mulch (never fresh wood chips.) It conserves moisture, prevents weeds, and eventually breaks down and feeds the soil.

 

 You can still plant seeds of squash, cucumbers, corn, beans, and other seeds that need warmer soil (usually 2 weeks past the last average frost date).

 

 Go ahead and buy plants on clearance, but buy only those plants that look healthy. Avoid runty, dried out, or otherwise tired-looking plants. They're unlikely to rally.

 

 Avoid buying bare-root roses at this point in the season, no matter how cheap they are. It's just too hot and most bare-root roses are way past their prime in containers at this time of year.

 

 Deadhead flowers on annuals, perennials, and some shrubs. It keeps your garden more attractive and in many cases, it will encourage more flowers. Check out our videos on deadheading flowers by clicking here.

 

 Continue to plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees, shrubs, and roses now. However, avoid planting bare-root roses and other bare-root plants. This late in the year, they'll struggle to get established and may well die. 

 

 Time to practice tough love. If a tree or shrub is still struggling with winter damage or overall sickness, with significant amounts of dead wood, it's almost certainly time to dig it up or cut it down. 

 

 Remove the browning foliage of tulips and daffodils once it pulls away easily. Until then, the plant is using it to rejuvenate for next year.

 

 Pinch mum buds until the 4th of July. This helps them produce larger, bigger flowers on stronger stems.  

 

 Harvest early and often for the most tender, sweetest produce and to keep plants producing well. Pick zucchini, for example, with the yellow flower still attached.

 

 Check out bulb catalogs and on-line sources. Ordering now assures the type and quantity you want this fall, when supplies run low.

Editor's Choice 
Garden Events  
 
Saturday, June 22
Linn County, Iowa  
10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Visit five diverse, beautiful gardens and raise money for the Master Gardeners! $5 for individuals, $10 for famililes.
 

Garden Quote  

 

"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken." 

 

-- Humorist and political cartoonist James Dent