By Tamara Galbraith

Summer's in full swing, and your previously glorious flowers are starting to look a little ragged around the edges.

Many plants will benefit - and even rebloom - after a mid-summer session of "deadheading," that is, removing spent flowers and/or stems to promote new growth.

Here's a quick guide of deadheading techniques for different types of flowers:

Pinch off individual dead flowers on: balloonflower, bellflower, daylily, delphinium, foxglove, hibiscus, hollyhock. (Also included: some irises that will rebloom in the fall, depending on the variety.)

Do an overall snip of dead blooms (about 2" below the flower) on: blanketflower, columbines, globe thistle, goldenrod, geranium, Jacob's ladder, salvia, coreopsis/tickseed.

Cut the entire spent flower stem off to either a sideshoot or to the plant's base on: baby's breath, bleeding heart, cardinal flower, catmint, coral bells, foamflower, gaura, Jupiter's beard, lavender, lupine, mullein, painted daisy, pincushion flower, coneflower, Shasta daisy, speedwell, spiderwort, Stoke's aster.

(Listening to The Grateful Dead while deadheading is, of course, optional.)

When the weather is hot and dry and there is no measurable rain, even rookie gardeners are aware that most plants will not survive without regular watering. Unfortunately, one reaction to this problem is to stand with hose in hand and squirt water on the plants or on the surface of the ground around them. This does nothing but dig up the soil. Wise gardeners give their plants the amount of water each one needs in ways that save time, effort and water.

It is important to use the right equipment. Much water can be saved in the summer by watering each part of the garden by a method appropriately suited for it. Briefly, hand sprinkling is fine for sprouting seeds, but all other water should be done with conventional irrigation systems or drip systems. In general, conventional irrigation systems work best for most of the basic landscape, including lawns. Drip systems work best for plants in containers and vegetable gardens. Reserve watering by hose for filling furrows and basins around trees and bushes, when these are not equipped with bubblers. (When you water this way, put the hose right down on the ground, and let the water sink in slowly.)

For the month of August, it is best to irrigate deeply once a week or every ten days, even less for many plants, depending on your climate zone and soil. Lawns- with the exception of Bermuda and zoysia-and vegetables, certain annual flowers, and some perennial shade flowers are the thirstiest plants in the garden. Water these as frequently as necessary to prevent wilting. Some plants, such as fuchsias and impatiens, need watering daily when grown in containers. When the hot dry wind blows, it is sometimes necessary to water twice a day. Some drought-resistant native and exotic plants need little summer water if any at all. A good rule of thumb is, native plants that are summer deciduous should never be watered during the hot summer months or they’ll die from root rot. Some native plants that don’t drop their leaves in summer should be watered only if they show severe wilting and, even then, watered sparingly if in clay soils.

Other plants recommended for their resistance to drought will look better if watered deeply at least once during August. Water all pine trees deeply as needed - usually once every three weeks - to prevent stress in hot weather, which invites attack from bark beetles. Subtropical trees- including coral trees and floss silk trees- should be watered deeply, early in the month. Allowing chorisia to go on the dry side in late August often contributes to more spectacular fall bloom.
Remember to keep your eye out for signs of stress and think of each plant as an individual; water accordingly. With deep, infrequent waterings teach them to send their roots far into the ground so that when there’s a drought they will survive.

Be sure to give special care to plants in containers. Plants in containers often suffer at this time of the year. Water them frequently. In interior zones containers often dry out as soon as they’re watered. It’s not only the heat, the dry air literally pulls the moisture our of the soil right through the sides of terra-cotta pots.

Terra-cotta containers add charm to gardens and patios, but unfortunately for aesthetics, most plants actually grow much better in plastic. The idea that plants are helped by a pot that “breathes”, is mistaken. The soil mix itself should breathe. It should be light and airy; use a good planting mix- never use garden soil in a pot. In containers that breathe, roots follow the water as it escapes through the sides of the pot. They form a soil mat that clings to the inside of the pot, drying out daily and causing the plant to wilt. When plants are grown in plastic, the roots tend to form more evenly throughout the mix. (Eventually they congregate at the bottom and wind around the sides, but then it’s time to pot them on to the next size up.) Before planting in porous containers seal the insides with a double coat of black waterproofing tar, to help prevent escape of moisture. Take good care of your container plants and garden bed s in the month of August, you will be well rewarded throughout the rest of the year.

By Tamara Galbraith

Fall is the best time to divide most overgrown perennials...but that doesn't mean you can't get a headstart on the process a little earlier. As a general rule, dividing is done opposite a plant's blooming season,  i.e., spring bloom = fall division, etc. Most perennials should be divided every three to five years.

Walk around your landscape during summer's bloom boom and observe what plants will be in need of dividing when autumn does finally roll around. Arm yourself with a pad and pencil, and make notes. Additionally, jot down ideas about other plants that may not be in the best location for optimum performance. Are your hostas getting too much sun? Are your Louisiana irises staying too dry?

A few of your plants might actually be ready for multiple divisions. For example, I can tell just by looking at the crown of my Heuchera 'Lime Rickey' that there are actually three plants existing in the same space. Where am I planning on putting the others once divided? Maybe your plant divisions would make nice gifts for friends or family...write that down too. Most gardeners go weak in the knees at the thought of free plants!

Watch for more information here about dividing plants as Fall grows nearer.

1. Plant tropicals
2. Purchase and plant succulents, cacti, and euphorbias
3. Choose crape myrtles
4. Trim Crape Myrtles to promote fall bloom
5. Plant bananas, and palms
6. Transplant palms
7. Stop pinching chrysanthemums
8. Cut back your petunias in mid-August to keep them flowering
9. Cut off the suckers from deciduous fruit trees
10. Prune and train your espaliers through the growing season
11. Be sure to trim trees and vines growing near swimming pools
12. Remove suckers from roses
13. Clean off the stems from agapanthus and daylilies that have already bloomed
14. Prune and train wisteria
15. Pull out dead crabgrass if you have previously treated it with weed killer
18. Feed fuchsias, tuberous begonias, water lilies, cymbidiums, ferns and tropicals
19. Feed warm-season lawns
20. Feed cool-season lawns only if they show signs of yellowing
21. Fertilize biennials started from seed in July with fish emulsion at weekly intervals
22. Fertilize roses with Red Star Rose-Gro or Nutri-Paks
23. Feed fortnight lilies lightly
24. Water, water water! Be sure to keep container plants and garden beds watered well
25. Study your irrigation system, check for malfunctioning heads
26. On drip irrigation systems, flush filters and headers
27. Water warm-season lawns deeply at least once a week
28. Water cool-season lawns more shallowly and frequently
29. Make sure to control weeds by mulching, cultivating, and hand pulling
30. Control rose pests and diseases
31. Control fireblight by removing disfigured branches and twigs
32. Control pests and diseases that cause dead brown patches on cool-season lawns
33. Control white grubs on cool-season lawns

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