The Summer Wind!
Summer is in full swing! Spring's hard work is starting to show its reward and flowers are radiantly displaying their array of beautiful colors - I myself am gullible for anything purple - this also includes the fresh scent of lavender. As gardeners, we know we still have work to do to continuously care and replenish our colorful landscapes.
Summer is a time to lay down some mulch to help suppress weeds and, most importantly. help retain moisture when summer heat is upon us. It's also time to inspect for insects and begin mitigating any problems. Remember, though, many can kill your plants and feed on green leaves but others are beneficial. Keeping insects at bay is the key. (To learn more about beneficial insects visit us at the Farmer's Market on August 20th.)
Watering becomes an issue - how much and how often? As a rule of thumb, plants need 1 inch of water per week - with or without Mother Nature's help. When temperatures pass the 90s, double up on the water - especially during heat waves (like we experienced over the past few days). On windy days, evaporation occurs quickly make sure to adjust watering accordingly.
Begin succession planning and sowing to have a fancy feast during the fall. Items that can be sown in the upcoming month: cucumbers, beets, arugula, spinach are just a few. Some require 10 weeks to 2 weeks before the frost (a thought that is far away from our minds but will soon be here) so read your seed packets and plan accordingly.
Regardless of where you are at in your gardening this summer - don't forget to stop and smell the flowers.
The Brookfield Garden Club meets the last Saturday of every month (except November & December) at 9:30 a.m. in the Brookfield Village Hall. Our goal is to educate gardeners through demonstrations, hands-on workshops, guest speakers, field trips, newsletter articles, and sharing information with fellow gardeners.
Summer is a time to lay down some mulch to help suppress weeds and, most importantly. help retain moisture when summer heat is upon us. It's also time to inspect for insects and begin mitigating any problems. Remember, though, many can kill your plants and feed on green leaves but others are beneficial. Keeping insects at bay is the key. (To learn more about beneficial insects visit us at the Farmer's Market on August 20th.)
Watering becomes an issue - how much and how often? As a rule of thumb, plants need 1 inch of water per week - with or without Mother Nature's help. When temperatures pass the 90s, double up on the water - especially during heat waves (like we experienced over the past few days). On windy days, evaporation occurs quickly make sure to adjust watering accordingly.
Begin succession planning and sowing to have a fancy feast during the fall. Items that can be sown in the upcoming month: cucumbers, beets, arugula, spinach are just a few. Some require 10 weeks to 2 weeks before the frost (a thought that is far away from our minds but will soon be here) so read your seed packets and plan accordingly.
Regardless of where you are at in your gardening this summer - don't forget to stop and smell the flowers.
The Brookfield Garden Club meets the last Saturday of every month (except November & December) at 9:30 a.m. in the Brookfield Village Hall. Our goal is to educate gardeners through demonstrations, hands-on workshops, guest speakers, field trips, newsletter articles, and sharing information with fellow gardeners.
"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken. ~James Dent"
