Jere Says…”Tips on gardening”
MID-SUMMER FEEDING.
The recent string of high temperatures has taken a toll on gardens and gardeners alike! The lush green leaves of weeks past now have a yellow…or worse, brown crispy appearance.
Bringing healthy life back into the garden is pretty basic: Increase water, cut out the dead stuff and feed! Mid-summer feeding is essential for ensuring a healthy and productive garden. Roses, citrus and evergreens tend to suffer from iron and nitrogen deficiency this time of year but with the proper food plants will green up very quickly. A rangy pile of petunias can be cut back and fed and within a couple weeks will explode with color again! Most garden plants including Buddleia (Butterfly Bush), Salvia, shrubs and assorted annuals will benefit from a trim, a good drink of H2O and food. Organic sources of food are always better as they not only give the soil the nutrients necessary for supporting plant life, they also add essential bacteria. Meal or liquid form may be used…meal being slower release and longer lasting, liquid giving a quick fix will result in faster results but require a more frequent feeding schedule. Since organic solutions feed the soil rather than the plant there is no danger in chemical burn. Plants will feed themselves directly from the soil, as they need it. A little extra effort today will give you lasting results!

Red Dogwood

The Red Twig Dogwood is one of the most versatile of all of the dogwoods. It is native to North America and has been used by Native Americans for a variety of purposes. The red twigs are useful for basket making. The bark has been used for a red dye. The plant itself has a variety of traditional medical uses. The Red Twig Dogwood spreads slowly by underground runners and makes a spectacular clump after a few years. The white spring flowers are followed by white berries in the summer. The bright red leaf color is one of the most noticeable in the fall. Its claim to fame, however, is the dramatic bright red stems that stand as a stark contrast in the winter. Like most dogwoods, the Red Twig likes high organic matter and a moist, well drained, acid soil. Try this beauty under more mature trees. It will make a nice contrast as well as fill in those voids created as trees mature.

Garden Guide…"Creative inspiration for gardeners”
MID-SUMMER GARDENING DOLDRUMS
Mid-summer for our area can be excruciatingly hot so who wants to garden, right? It's way too hot to be digging large planting holes, especially in our
rocky and clay soils. It certainly isn't the time I would choose to renovate sections of my garden or to tackle that long put-off garden project. However, it's a great time to add creative elements to your garden and work on creating those outdoor rooms! As with indoor decorating, your garden should reflect you and your family so that everyone feels comfortable there. Create a wonderful retreat away from the house under a big shade tree. Place furniture so that family and guests can easily converse with one another, enjoy powerful views and listen to the trickling stream. If you don't have a natural water element in your garden, now would be a great time to add one! Did you know studies have shown that a water element can actually lower one's body temperature by 2 degrees on a hot day? Prefabricated concrete or stone fountains generally take less than an hour to set up and are quite easy to care for. However, they're heavy so enlist the help of some neighbor kids. But if you want something that is really quick and easy, try our preformed poly ponds. They come in a wide array of shapes and sizes and are light and simple to install. As an added bonus, they are backed by a 15 year warranty. Now…sit back and relax with friends and enjoy that great glass of lemonade in the greatest room in your house….your back yard garden.

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