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Community Corner

Maintenance Mode

Everything is green and blooming, Now what?

 

Now that all the plants are in the ground and summer is well under way with everything growing lush very quickly, here are a few notes to keep in mind:

Weeding

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Weeding: it's a necessary evil of gardening. Weeds are of course an invasive or unintentional plant that competes for nutrients and space with desirable plants. The number one key to easy weeding is to do it early and often. Just scratching the surface around a nice plant every once in a while will keep weeds that are germinating at bay. The growth of these pesky plants are hindered when starting with a clean bed, but many times enthusiasm gets the best of many gardeners to start digging and planting right away.

Besides simply pulling, digging and tugging, there are some alternative methods to dealing with weeds. First is smothering. Many weeds will succumb to a hefty layer of mulch or landscape fabric and leave just a few stragglers behind. The second choice is chemical treatments. Round Up and its many cousins work well to kill unsightly weeds, but there is still a dead weed to clean up eventually, and over time weeds can become immune to the effects of chemical agents.

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Most importantly, try and remove the weed before it can sets seed for this prevents many more problems for even next year.

Tending the Garden

Now to the more fulfilling and gratifying outlook to gardening. The upside to keeping a flower garden fresh and growing is in tending to the actual plants. Most plants bought at a reputable garden center will have been watered and fed regularly and be at their strongest at transplant time.  For these plants, wait for them to get established in their new soil, usually visible by the onset of fresh green vegetative growth. At this point, it is better to fertilize with compost or store-bought fertilizer every few weeks. In the meantime, keep things evenly moist, allowing them to dry between watering, and be aware of long dry spells.

As flowers begin to fade on annuals and perennials around the yard, consider deadheading them to promote more blossoms. Many of today’s summer annuals are self-deadheading and may not need this attention, but many plants can have their flowering season greatly extended by simply a clean snip with good shears.

When choosing where to cut, there is of course the option to cut long and take the blooms into the house, but if the cutting is purely for garden performance, take a good look at the plant. Follow the stem below the fading blossom until the point where it joins the main stem. Clip it cleanly here, taking care not to damage the stem or surrounding leaves. Some plants like geraniums make this decision easy coming off with a snap. Others like marigolds are even easier, with the entire flower head popping off in hand.

If it is the first flower on the plant, perhaps a tall zinnia or salvia, follow the main stem down until there is a set of leaves coming off. Usually this is the start of fresh branches sticking out right above these leaves on either side of the stem. Always try and cut the main stem about an inch above this point so that no damage is done to the next set of flowers.

Of course some plants do not continue to bloom throughout the season and just give all their energy to one quick show. Over years of experience, gardeners learn to appreciate the special moments these plants offer and savor them that much more.

Once all of these gardening tasks are completed, be sure to grab a refreshing glass of lemonade, a comfortable chair and enjoy the landscape! The scenery is always sweeter and more beautiful when created personally.

Information for this column was contributed by Volante Farms, 292 Forest St., Needham. 

 

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