What’s Happening in My Garden For July

July is when summer really settles into Northern Nevada. Temperatures climb into the 90s and often stay there. Yet gardening here has a way of keeping us humble and on our toes.

This year was no exception.

March was unusually warm. April turned cold again. May hinted at a great growing season, only to have June refuse to cooperate.

I planted seeds. I planted vegetables. I wondered if some of them had simply given up.

Then, almost overnight, things changed.

Seeds I thought were gone suddenly began germinating. Plants that looked unhappy finally decided they liked where they were growing.

Gardens have a wonderful way of reminding us that nature usually works on its own schedule rather than ours.

Now July has arrived, bringing its usual pattern of cool mornings followed by blazing afternoons. By late day, the smaller pots often need watering again, especially when the wind decides to join the party.

So, I try to take a quick walk around in the morning and again in the late afternoon to see what as dried out or looks like it could use some attention. The smaller pots need watering every day and sometimes twice a day when the wind is blowing.

The flowers were terrific through June and need deadheading to keep the blooms coming. The vegetables are starting to produce and are show promise for the rest of the summer.

There are things that should be done this month to keep your lawn and garden thriving.

Water is Everything

Make the most of irrigation by watering in the early morning or evening, times of day when water is more likely to soak into the soil and less likely to evaporate. Soaker hoses or drip tubes deliver water directly to soil, resulting in less loss – great for vegetables. For most trees and shrubs, deep watering every 10 to 14 days is sufficient..

If July has a single lesson, it’s this: don’t let your garden become thirsty. For efficient irrigation, apply water multiple times per day and several times per week according to water rules to achieve those goals.

Flowers and vegetables in pots require different attention from those in the ground. The dirt can dry out quickly and may need extra water daily. The plants are different and thus need different treatments. So, pay attention. And don’t forget to feed them every two weeks!

Remove Spent Flowers

Walk through your garden at least twice a week with a pair of clippers and bucket, cutting off faded or dead blooms. This process is called “deadheading,” and it’s one of the secrets to a garden packed with flower power. Deadheading encourages many plants to form more flower buds and helps prevent dying petals from harboring insects or disease.

My roses continue to surprise me. Deadheading and regular watering usually reward me with another flush of blooms even during the hottest part of summer. I sometimes think my roses bloom simply because they appreciate the attention.

Keep Mulching

One of the best tools you can use in your garden is mulch. It moderates soil temperatures, slows water evaporation from soil, shades plant roots and helps suppress weeds. Midsummer isn’t too late to add mulch to your garden. It’s never too late. This works well for tomatoes, especially in pots.

Add Some Annuals

It’s still okay to tuck annuals into pots or the garden. Just make sure you choose ones that thrive in summer heat, such as petunia, gomphrena, vinca, zinnia, portulaca or marigold. When planting annuals in summer, tackle the job in the evening, so plants can settle during cooler overnight hours. Shade plants the first few days after planting, especially in high heat zones. Water new annuals daily — both morning and evening — until they stop wilting.

Prune Perennials

Early summer is the time to control plant height on tall, flop-prone perennials that flower later in summer and fall. The list includes autumn sun coneflower,  ‘Herbstonne’), asters and monkshood. When pruning, reduce stem height by the amount you’d like to shorten stems. Pruning results in later flowering and more blooms, as stems will branch where you place cuts.

Don’t Let the Weeds Win

Continue to weed throughout summer. Small weeds are always easier to pull, but if your weed issue is overwhelming, start with ones that are setting seed first. That helps reduce next year’s weed issues. If you have a particular problem weed, figure out what it is using online resources, and research how best to control it. The best time to weed is after a rain, when soil is soft.

Prep Fall Crops

Plant veggies now for autumn harvest. The list includes cabbage (never had any good luck with cabbage so my wife will not let be plant any), collards, carrots and turnip greens, fennel and parsley. If tomato and pepper plants are healthy, prune them lightly before giving them an all-purpose fertilizer. This jump-starts fresh growth that will yield in fall.

Pick Your Produce

Keep up with harvest in the garden, whether it’s ripe tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, eggplant or fresh herbs. Once plants start bearing, check the garden daily, if possible, or at least every other day to gather whatever is ready. If you have too much of a good thing for your family, share the produce with neighbors. Expect the zucchini to do strange things and hide until they are the size of baseball bat.

One lesson I’ve learned over the last two years is that I’m giving up on beets and onions. My onions never seem interested in becoming onions, and my beets rarely get bigger than a golf ball.

Sometimes gardening is about accepting defeat and plant something else.

Care for Apples

Apples are a mystery. Last year we had four apples total but this year our trees are laden with fruit. This may be one of those years when friends start finding bags of apples left on their front porch and hopefully, they get returned as applesauce.

The trees do need attention, however. Thinning small unneeded ones is important saving energy for the good stuff. Remove suckers from apple trees when you spot them. These non-productive stems grow vertically from horizontal branches. Lastly watch for bugs and be ready to treat the trees as needed.

Plant Pumpkins

It’s time to plant pumpkins for autumn decorating and feasting. Pumpkins need 90 to 120 days to grow and produce mature fruits. This is something I started last year and was to impatient to let then ripen. This year I will wait until I see good ones. Pumpkins are easy to grow. Just give them plenty of sunshine, ample water and lots of room to wander. If space is at a premium, opt for a bush variety that doesn’t send sprawling vines everywhere.

Desert Blooms

July is also when many of our heat-loving desert plants begin to shine. Russian sage, yarrow, butterfly bush, crape myrtle, and desert willow seem perfectly happy while the rest of us are looking for shade. If you’re planning new additions to your landscape, this is a good reminder that choosing plants adapted to our climate usually pays dividends.

Closing thought

One of the reasons I enjoy gardening is that no two years are ever alike. Every spring convinces me that I finally understand what I’m doing, and every summer reminds me that nature has other ideas.

That’s probably why I keep planting something new every year.

Here’s hoping your garden rewards your efforts this July—and if your zucchini gets away from you, I’m sure your neighbors will be happy to help.