Mid-Summer Care
What does your garden need right now? Maybe a little deadheading... maybe a deep drink... maybe just someone to stop calling everything a weed. Read our latest blog for practical midsummer gardening tips!
Mid-Summer Care
If your garden is looking a little wild right now, congratulations! You've made it to the heart of summer.
July is when gardens really show off. Pollinators are hard at work, perennials are putting on a show, and weeds seem to have signed a lease agreement. While it may be tempting to sit back with a cold drink and simply admire your work (we highly recommend that, too), a little maintenance now will keep your landscape healthier through August and even make fall gardening easier.
Here's what's worth adding to your midsummer to-do list.
Water Deeply When It Counts
Established gardens are often more drought-tolerant than we give them credit for, but even mature plants appreciate a deep drink during extended dry spells (and extremely hot weather).
Instead of frequent, shallow watering, water thoroughly so moisture reaches the root zone. This encourages stronger root systems and helps plants better withstand periods of heat. Early morning is still the ideal time to water, giving plants plenty of moisture before the hottest part of the day.
Keep an eye on newer plantings, too. Anything installed this spring will likely need more attention than established beds.
Deadheading
Removing faded flowers keeps many perennials looking tidy and encourages repeat blooming in species that naturally rebloom. It also prevents some plants from putting energy into seed production.
But don't feel obligated to remove every spent flower. Seed heads on many native perennials provide visual interest well into fall and eventually become an important food source for birds. Sometimes the best-looking garden is the one that's allowed to age gracefully.
Summer Haircuts
Some early-blooming perennials start looking a little tired by mid-summer. Cutting back faded flower stems or removing damaged foliage can refresh their appearance and encourage healthy new growth.
Plants like catmint, hardy geranium, and salvias often respond well to a light trim after flowering. Others simply benefit from removing old blooms and yellowing leaves.
No one looks their best after weeks of 90-degree weather, including the garden.
Scout
July is a good month to slow down and really look at your plants.
Check leaves for signs of disease, monitor for insect damage, and pay attention to anything that suddenly wilts or declines. Catching issues early often means they can be managed with simple cultural practices rather than more intensive treatments.
Remember that not every insect is a pest. Gardens full of bees, butterflies, lady beetles, lacewings (and even the occasional praying mantis) are signs of a healthy landscape. A few chewed leaves are often just evidence that your garden is supporting life!
Stay on Top of “Weeding”
“Weeds” never seem to take a summer break. Removing them before they flower and set seed can save countless hours later in the season and even spending just ten or fifteen minutes weeding each week can keep garden beds manageable.
Landscape crews know this well: regular maintenance is always easier than trying to reclaim an overgrown bed in one afternoon.
That said, you can also choose to step back and let nature do its thing. Let's face it, calling plants "weeds" is simply a human label for plants growing where we don't want them. The reality is that many so-called weeds provide valuable early-season nectar for bees and can even help stabilize and improve damaged soil. Ultimately, it's up to you and the goals you have for your garden.
Support Tall Perennials
It might seem strange to think about fall while you're still reaching for sunscreen, but August is an excellent time to start planning. Walk through the garden and make notes.
Where could you use more late-season color? Which plants outperformed your expectations? Which areas need more pollinator support during late summer? Are there gaps that ornamental grasses, sedges, asters, or goldenrods could fill?
Professional landscapers often evaluate gardens throughout the growing season because seeing a landscape in July tells you far more than looking at it on paper in January.
Looking Ahead to August
As August arrives, many gardens enter a second peak of the season. Native grasses begin adding movement and texture, while late-blooming perennials take center stage. It's also a good time to continue watering during dry periods, remove diseased foliage when needed, and begin thinking about dividing overcrowded spring-blooming perennials as temperatures begin to cool toward the end of the month.
If you're planning new garden projects, now is also the time to start ordering plants and preparing planting plans for late summer and fall installations.
Enjoy the Garden
It's easy to spend so much time maintaining a garden that you forget to enjoy it. Here’s your reminder to take a few minutes to notice which flowers the bees are visiting most often. Watch the butterflies move through the borders. Pay attention to how the garden changes from week to week.
The peak of summer only comes once each year! A little maintenance now, and a little appreciation along the way, helps ensure your garden finishes the season just as beautifully as it started.
