Thanks to record high temperatures and drought, gardens are looking dry. We expect to see fewer fall blooms that we usually do; and so many trees are losing leaves, it looks like September out there!
What To See
Kitchen gardens are starting to produce tomatoes, peppers, and corn. Keep watering regularly for maximum production.
The grasses have reached their mature sizes for the season and are beginning to flower.
Coneflowers continue to bloom, as do other mid-summer bloomers like yarrow, Russian sage, and black-eyed Susans.
Yarrow and Russian sage can take the heat. Photo from monrovia.com.
What to Do
Water trees and shrubs once a week. Perennials and vegetable gardens may be watered every few days during this drought. See Citizens Water for current watering restrictions.
Hold off on mowing the lawn altogether. If you must mow, set the mower to at least 3”.
Hold off on planting anything new during the dog days; instead, make plans to plant in September.
Start seeds for fall; plant broccoli, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts inside.
Mulch potatoes, onions, and carrots to keep their “shoulders” covered.
Harvest summer-bearing raspberries.
Cut back spent perennials. Daylilies, daisies, catmint, and salvia respond to a cut-back with a fresh flush of growth.
Shear formal hedges of boxwood, yew, and burning bush, which have finished their vegetative growth by late July. Be aware, though, that dry, hot weather may increase the chance of scalding at the cuts.
