The Joy of July: Essential Gardening Tasks for Mid-Summer in Your Garden

From the experts at McAdam Garden Center

As we find ourselves in the heart of summer, gardens everywhere are brimming with color, delightful scents, and the buzz of industrious pollinators. The diligent care we’ve put into our gardens since spring is now rewarded with lush, vibrant landscapes. While July is a month to relish in the beauty we’ve cultivated, there are still some key tasks necessary to maintain our gardens’ health and beauty throughout the rest of the season. Here at McAdam Garden Center, we’ve crafted a list of essential mid-summer gardening tasks.

1. Emphasize Hydration Summers can be warm, and dry spells make proper watering crucial. The optimal time to water your plants is early morning, which minimizes evaporation and helps prevent the spread of plant diseases. A drip irrigation system could offer a more efficient and water-conserving method of keeping your plants hydrated.

2. Win the War on Weeds With abundant sunlight and regular watering, weeds can proliferate if left unchecked. Regular hoeing and hand-pulling prevent them from setting seed and overtaking the garden. Additionally, a thick layer of mulch can help control weed growth and keep plant roots cool.

3. Prune Summer-Flowering Shrubs Once your summer-flowering shrubs, such as hydrangeas and spireas, have bloomed, give them a good pruning. This promotes healthy growth and ensures a spectacular display of flowers in the following year.

4. Deadhead Flowers Make sure to routinely remove spent blooms from your flowers. This not only keeps your garden looking neat but also encourages the plant to direct its energy towards producing more blooms rather than seeds.

5. Harvest Regularly For those who grow fruits and vegetables, frequent harvesting keeps plants productive. From beans to zucchinis, berries to tomatoes, ensure you pick your produce as soon as it’s ripe to encourage further growth.

6. Be on the Lookout for Pests and Diseases Keep an eye out for pests and diseases. From Japanese beetles to powdery mildew, summer pests and diseases can quickly get out of hand. Utilize environmentally friendly solutions whenever possible, and remember that a healthy plant is the best defense against pests and diseases.

7. Plan for Fall Although it might seem premature, July is the perfect time to start thinking about your fall garden. Begin planning and ordering fall bulbs and seeds, and perhaps sow fall crops like kale and cabbage towards the end of the month.

8. Feed Your Plants Your plants are rapidly growing and consuming a lot of nutrients. Assist them by applying a slow-release granular fertilizer or regular liquid feedings.

9. Enjoy Your Garden Don’t forget to pause and take pleasure in the beauty of your garden. Whether it’s enjoying a refreshing drink in the shade, hosting a summer barbecue, or simply taking a leisurely stroll among your plants, remember that gardening is as much about deriving joy as it is about work.

The team at McAdam Garden Center is always here to help with your gardening needs. Stop by for tools, plants, and expert advice to make your July garden flourish. Here’s to the joy of July and the pleasures of summer gardening in your backyard!