Gabriel's Garden Notes

Long hot summer

The heat is blistering this year in the Puget Sound, in fact it is currently the driest summer on record and we still have about 2 months to go.  This is a great opportunity to evaluate your plantings.  The plants we have that made it through the deep freeze and wet snows of the winter and continue to thrive through this summer are ones to take note of now!  Those are the ones we need to rely on.  The wimps that froze or are stressed due to the heat and dry are ones we should edit out. 

Plants that I like that seem to be survivors include Euonymus 'Cholipo' and Choisya ternata 'Sundance'.  I use these plants quite a bit in the landscape because of their gold colored foliage and hardiness.  They also look great in the border and accent seasonal plantings of bright colored annuals and perennials like Dahlias, Cosmo's, Calendula and Zinnia's.

The veggie garden is still producing lots of delicious produce.  The lettuce has all been used or pulled out and I have planted out some second sowings of carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.  Tomatoes are just starting to ripen now and the squash is becoming to get a bit overwhelming. 

Over the next few days I will really need to stay up on the watering to keep plants from getting stressed out beyond repair.  Hopefully temps will get back down to 70's soon.

Pictured here squash, tomatoes, ground cherry, blueberries, and green beans.

Summertime and the livings easy!

Summer is here and boy is it warm and dry here in the Northwest. 

Gardens that are getting adequate water are looking fabulous.  Those that aren't are fading fast.  Lawns are drying up, which isn't too much of a problem if your lawn is already healthy.  An already weak lawn may be more susceptible to having an invasion of weeds take over! 

My goal for both lawns and gardens is to get them as healthy as possible.  This starts with planting plants in the right place.  The "right place" means with an adequate space to grow to near full size so that the plant will not need to be pruned excessively.  The location should match the plants cultural needs if it requires full sun that means no less than 6 hours a day.  If you don't follow this rule you will end up with an uphappy weak plant that may attract pests.  Last make sure to water the plant regularly during its first 2 to 3 years in the garden.  If the plant is drought tolerant you can plan to pull back on regular watering after it is well established.

For the health of the garden and lawn overall I try to improve the health of the soil.  I start by using organic fertilizers as needed, using a quality top dressing of compost each year and to stop use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.  Synthetic fertilizers and pesticides I feel do not help encourage the natural systems in our landscapes.  Many people pull out the bug spray when they see some aphids on their roses.  What they may not consider is that they will also be killing any lady bugs that are there feeding on those aphids as well.  By killing off the enemy of the pests in the garden you have now taken on a job that you cannot do on your own!  My system for dealing with aphids and white flies?  Squish them, rinse the infected plant with water and in some cases remove the plant that seems to attract too many bugs. 

Healthy plants do fend off insects pests so if a plant is attracting bugs consider its overall health.  Is it planted in the right location, is it getting adequate water, are you over fertilizing it, was it stressed from drought last year?  If you aren't sure whats wrong, call me, or call the Natural Garden Hotline and get some free advice on how to deal with problems in your garden before grabbing the spray, the lady bugs will appreciate your new strategy.

Veggie garden update-Still harvesting lots of lettuce and am now watching the summer squash grow.  I have been harvesting peas, Bok choy, Arugala, Broccoli and Cauliflower as well.  I pulled out a few potatoes, the main harvest is still a month or more away.