July garden tasks lead to quick rewards

The garden path

Intelligencer Journal
Lancaster New Era

Jul 10, 2009 00:02 EST

By DAINA SAVAGE, Correspondent

Tomato troubles. The tenacious fungal disease, late blight, has infected thousands of county tomatoes. Characterized by black leaves with greasy-looking spots, it spreads rapidly in cool, wet weather. Pull all infected plants and destroy them to prevent further infection.

Good Day sunshine. The week's welcome rays have helped solve numerous garden problems, from funguses and molds, to ceaseless mowing between showers.

June showers lead to summer droughts. Your plants, comfortable with the easy access to water, may have formed lazy shallow roots that get parched on dry days. If we don't have steady rain, make sure your plants get a deep drink each week that's equivalent to an inch of rain.

Wake up to water. Morning dousings soak into the soil without evaporating. Early morning watering also allows the plant foliage to dry out through the day, discouraging fungal problems.

Prevent West Nile. Look for areas in your landscape that may harbor standing water that could breed mosquitoes. Rinse and refill birdbaths often. After watering your container plants each day, empty their saucers.

Let it grow. To keep your turf looking its best through the summer, raise your mower to a cutting height of at least 3 inches. Taller grass makes for less weeds and less susceptibility to stress.

Finish pinching, keep deadheading. After one last pinch to encourage bushier growth, it's time to allow to mums to fill out for fall glory. Many of your spent annuals continue to benefit from picking off the spent blooms.

Get your greens. As peas wind down and green beans are in full swing, ensure that you keep production in full gear by picking each day. If you fail to harvest, the plants stop producing.

Roadside delights. With corn and tomatoes coming on, it's hard to drive past. If you don't grow your own, they're a way to buy the freshest, local produce, often still warm from the garden.

Beetles are back. The voracious pests are at work turning raspberries, grapes and rose bush leaves to lacy skeletons, going to town on your garden treasures. Foil these Japanese invaders by walking through your garden in the mornings with a bucket of soapy water. Shake them off the leaves to a water death.

Need for nutrients. Our soggy June may have washed away any fertilizers you applied. Think about applying a balanced 10-10-10 to boost growth.

Light as air, strong as stone. Those enchanting white wisps drifting through the county belie an aggressive, iron-hearted seed that can overrun median strips and gardens alike. Canada thistle is a noxious, prickly pest that must be headed off at every turn. Dig deep for its tenacious root or risk breaking it off and encouraging more. A systemic herbicide can help but may require repeat applications.

Check out the blooming best. The Penn State Trial Gardens at Landisville are hosting a Summer Garden Experience festival July 25 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tour the expansive variety trials, ask the experts your toughest gardening question, pick up some pots of native plants. The event is free and open to the public.

Parking is $10 per vehicle. Learn how to build bee boxes in a 1 p.m. class for a $20 materials fee. A Kids Camp will be held for children 5-12 for a nominal fee (call 270-4391 to register children). For more information, call 394-6851.\h

Lancaster-based garden writer Daina Savage blogs at www.greengardengirls.com and can be reached at dainasavage@gmail.com.