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...because all the best garden advice is local

July 11, 2013
Dusting Off My Sprinkler 
Greetings! 

      

Vernoica in her gardenWas it just a few weeks ago that we were under a flood watch?

   Regardless, my dull-looking beige-tinted lawn is telling me that it's time to lug out the watering tools.

   I try to water wisely. But my sprinklers aren't very efficient. They tend to throw up the water high in the air, where it is easily evaporated with heat and wind. Some experts that I admire advise not using them at all.

   Me, I just try to be conservative and use them as little as possible. And when I do, I use a timer set for right before sunrise. If it weren't for sprinklers, I'd have to resort to an expensive irrigation system or a brown lawn. And I really don't want either.

   Besides, here in Iowa, we are so spoiled by our ample rainfall that most years, the only time we have to seriously irrigate is late July through early September--just eight weeks. So an irrigation system for me just doesn't make sense for my small lawn. And I've had those soaker hoses, which frankly, looked awful, aren't suitable for lawns, and I kept slicing through them with my spade.

   However, there are some other easy ways to minimize your watering bills and time. Click here for some of our best, most sensible garden watering tips. 
 
Happy Watering!

Veronica Lorson Fowler

 

Weed of the Week

 

purslane If there's one summer weed I hate, it's purslane. It seems to love the rich, loose soil of my garden and makes its appearance about the time the temperatures start flirting with the 90s.

   The thing I hate is that it's like the Greek monster, the Hydra. Cut off one part and 20 other new plants seem to spring up in its place. That's because if you leave a bit--just a tiny leaf!--in the soil the plant will propagate itself from that tiny remnant. So definitely do not hoe it. You'll just chop it up and scatter new purslane starts!

   Instead, click here to find out the best ways to control this persistent weed.

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Watering Containers

 

container gardening In hot and breezy weather, some containers can require a watering daily--and sometimes twice a day.

    And once the container's soil gets extremely dry, it can tough to rewet all the way through. So water slowly, waiting a few minutes for the water to soak in before adding a little more, and then a little more.

   Also, click here for tricks and techniques for keeping your containers well-watered all summer long. My fav is  a neat pot-soaking technique to revive those containers where the soil has shrunk away from the sides, making it all but impossible to rewet the caked soil.
  

 

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Mean Mosquitoes 

 

mosquito After a wet spring, it's no surprise the mosquitoes are now out in force. We gardeners spend a lot of money on lotions, potions, and sprays to keep skeeters away, but don't waste it on citronella candles or oil, Skin-So-Soft, or the latest electronic gizmo that straps onto your belt.

    The only things that have been proven to effectively prevent mosquitoes from biting you is those containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, and some oil of lemon eucalyptus and para-menthane-diol.

    Click here for the ultimate word on the matter, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. 

    And ISU has a good extension article on how effective spraying your yard can be--or, in some cases, cannot be. Click here.  

     Another helpful tip: A blowing fan will deter mosquitoes from bothering anyone sitting within its reach since mosquitoes don't like an area where they have to fight a wind current. Bonus: On a hot day, it feels great! 

 
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Issue: 84

Monthly To-Do

 

 Don't let the onset of the hot weather of summer get you discouraged. Heat and dry conditions can make a garden start to get ratty-looking and fewer things are in flower. But even 15 or 20 minutes of weeding, cutting back, deadheading, mulching, and watering can make a huge difference.

 

 Harvest early and often for the most tender, sweetest produce and to keep plants producing well. Tip: You can harvest tomatoes when they're about halfway red. Bring them indoors (away from insects) to finish ripening indoors on a countertop. They'll still have that great, full home-grown tomato flavor! Click here for a plant-by-plant breakdown on how to tell when produce is ready to harvest.

 

 Annual flowers are at their peak now--a great reason to plant them in the first place. They're one of the few things that look fresh this time of year. Keep them well watered, deadheaded, and well fertilized (apply a granular or liquid all-purpose fertilizer according to package directions).

 

 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.

 

 Avoid planting, transplanting, or dividing anything other than a tree or shrub right now. The heat of summer will make smaller plants will struggle when transplanted. It's best to wait for cooler weather.

 

 Water, water, water! Many 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 weed, and eventually breaks down and feeds the soil.

 

 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. 

 

 Practice tough love in the garden. 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.   

 

 Check out the 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  
 
Sunday, July 21
Parkersburg, Ackley, Eldora, and Wellsburg
Noon to 5:00 p.m. Tickets $5 at any pond location the day of the tour, rain or shine  Road side signs will be posted to help you find the first pond. For more information, email Jackie Allsup at c[email protected]. 

Garden Quote  

 

"I think we are bound to, and by, nature. We may want to deny this connection and try to believe we control the external world, but every time there's a snowstorm or drought, we know our fate is tied to the world around us." 

 

- Novelist Alice Hoffman