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As I write this, we have had abundant rain. Abundant, to plentiful, to flood warnings, to
MAKE IT STOP!
As with all weather conditions, this year has its good and bad news. The good news is anything transplanted, large trees and bushes, and the spring growth have benefited greatly. The bad news is flooded basements, crop damage, and some things are not growing in sync.
We’re seeing plants behaving like an eleven year old boy: some things maturing before other things. As with that eleven year old boy, it makes for some visual disparity.
Here are some things that have happened and what you may want to do to help:
Hostas are loving the moist spring. Mine are huge, including the new transplants. It is alright to trim back hosta leaves if they are shadowing summer flowering plants. If you’d like to permanently solve that problem, dig up the entire plant, divide and transplant small portions. I have one hosta blooming which is way early.
Phlox, a fall blooming plant, are growing like crazy and may also be shadowing summer plants. It’s the perfect time to prune them. Not only will it keep them from shading other plants, it will make them less prone to falling over. Most phlox will begin to mildew because they need dry circulated air. Live with it or apply some mildew powder.
Bearded iris rhizomes will rot if they stand in soggy soil for any period of time. Either dig the entire clump, divide, and transplant to a drier area (good luck finding that place) or hope for the best (my plan.)
Remember, most summer flowering plants seldom do their best when shaded. Just yesterday, I had to “uncover” several daylilies from abundant hosta growth.
Weeds and grass (always a bane in my gardens) are growing fast but are much easier to pull right after it rains. Mulching helps deter weeds but also holds the moisture.
Insects are in huge quantities. Make sure you use a repellant when working in the garden. No sense tempting diseases or, at the very least, irritations. We seem to have more insect eating birds, bats, and insect quantities – it’s good when they increase proportionally.
Natural deep watering always trumps hand watering. The good news is plant roots reach downward making them more stable, drought resistant, and healthier. The bad news some plants would just as soon bake in hot dry sun.
Keep on the lookout for plants that need trimmed, moved, pulled or their shade removed (a stitch in time) and you’ll have fewer problems as summer progresses (saves nine.)
As with all weather conditions, this year has its good and bad news. The good news is anything transplanted, large trees and bushes, and the spring growth have benefited greatly. The bad news is flooded basements, crop damage, and some things are not growing in sync.
We’re seeing plants behaving like an eleven year old boy: some things maturing before other things. As with that eleven year old boy, it makes for some visual disparity.
Here are some things that have happened and what you may want to do to help:
Hostas are loving the moist spring. Mine are huge, including the new transplants. It is alright to trim back hosta leaves if they are shadowing summer flowering plants. If you’d like to permanently solve that problem, dig up the entire plant, divide and transplant small portions. I have one hosta blooming which is way early.
Phlox, a fall blooming plant, are growing like crazy and may also be shadowing summer plants. It’s the perfect time to prune them. Not only will it keep them from shading other plants, it will make them less prone to falling over. Most phlox will begin to mildew because they need dry circulated air. Live with it or apply some mildew powder.
Bearded iris rhizomes will rot if they stand in soggy soil for any period of time. Either dig the entire clump, divide, and transplant to a drier area (good luck finding that place) or hope for the best (my plan.)
Remember, most summer flowering plants seldom do their best when shaded. Just yesterday, I had to “uncover” several daylilies from abundant hosta growth.
Weeds and grass (always a bane in my gardens) are growing fast but are much easier to pull right after it rains. Mulching helps deter weeds but also holds the moisture.
Insects are in huge quantities. Make sure you use a repellant when working in the garden. No sense tempting diseases or, at the very least, irritations. We seem to have more insect eating birds, bats, and insect quantities – it’s good when they increase proportionally.
Natural deep watering always trumps hand watering. The good news is plant roots reach downward making them more stable, drought resistant, and healthier. The bad news some plants would just as soon bake in hot dry sun.
Keep on the lookout for plants that need trimmed, moved, pulled or their shade removed (a stitch in time) and you’ll have fewer problems as summer progresses (saves nine.)
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