By Tom Dayton.
The dog days of summer have certainly arrived with steamy July days. It’s surprising that humidity levels are high while the lawns, gardens and farm fields are parched for lack of water. This means you will need to hydrate your plants, hydrate your animals, and hydrate yourself!
The dry weather has made it difficult for gardeners as much extra watering is needed for newly planted flowers, trees and shrubs. Farm crops too are being irrigated for those fortunate to have an irrigation set up and the source of water with which to irrigate!
Let’s all hope for some relief from the abnormally dry summer. Two or three inches of rain would be nice even if it spoils the weather for some of those giving the forecast on television.
August is the time to start checking these action items off your list…
– harvest elderberries for wine, pies, and cobbler
– deadhead annuals and perennials
– plant late crops of turnips, carrots and beets
– trim 1/2 of new growth of pines if necessary to shape (if not done in late July)
– stir and water mulch again to prevent shotgun fungus
– collect seeds and take cuttings
– start dividing and transplanting daylilies and hostas after cutting back
– kill invasive grass and weeds in lawn now to re-seed in September
– start planting fall mums at the end of the month
– gradually move houseplants into a shadier spot to acclimate them to the indoors
AND stay cool!
P.S. Don’t forget to attend out third annual Summit’s Plow to Chow