July Gardening Tips

Dear Gardening Friends,  

Looks like our unusual weather is continuing. We’ve had wet and now we’re hot and dry. Time to get out the hoses. The following are some tips for July:

Unfortunately, I’ve already found a few Japanese beetles. If you get the first ones you will decrease the total amount that find you. Get out a container with a few inches of soapy water and knock the little buggers in. Gives me great satisfaction. For more info: https://blogs.cornell.edu/willow/files/2014/10/Japanese-Beetle-Popillia-japonica-fact-sheet-16vi6b4.pdf

Another insect I’ve had a lot of evidence of is 4 lined plant bug. It’s a small yellow and black striped true bug that has a piercing mouth part that leaves small round dark circles in the leaves. Fortunately, this doesn’t damage the plants, but it is unsightly. They lay their eggs in the stems of the effected plants so at the end of the season cutting down those stems helps reduce the infestation next year. For more info: https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/four-lined-plant-bug/ 

Watch for signs of fungal disease like powdery mildew and begin treatment with an environmentally safe fungicide specific to your problem. Remove affected leaves and disinfect your pruner and hands before moving to another plant. Fungal disease can be diminished by giving the plants good air circulation. With the hot weather watering will be very important especially for new plants that were planted or transplanted this season. They do not have root systems established and will need supplemental watering.

For garden watering in general take a trowel or shovel and make a divot down 6 inches. If it’s dry down at the root zone it’s time to water. You can’t tell just by the dryness of the surface soil. In this heat with intense sun the standard 1 inch of water a week may not be enough. It’s much better to water deeply less often that daily shallow watering. The water has to reach the root zone. Pots are another story. Most will need daily watering if they are in the sun. If you fertilize your plants, it’s best to do it when the soil is moist.

Natural fertilizers are much better for the plants and soil than chemical ones. Chemical fertilizers contain salts which kill the natural microbes in the soil which are what feed the plants. Moving plants this late in the season is not advised. Wait till the fall which is an ideal time for moving and adding plants, trees and shrubs.  If any of you are having problems with the lily leaf beetle (a small red beetle on true lilies) try a squirt of Dawn dish liquid in a spray bottle of water. A few people have said that helps. I’ve seen them on tricyrtis (toad lily) this year so check out those as well. For more information check: http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2001/07/cornell-cooperative-extension-master-gardeners-spot-invasive-unpleasant-beetles-new

Then there’s weeding… Just when you think you’re finished more pop up. Try and keep up or at least remove or deadhead weeds before they drop seed. If you haven’t mulched this will help control the weeds.

The deer tick population is increasing as has the incidence of Lymes disease. People are finding them in their gardens. Wherever there are deer and black footed mice there is a chance of ticks. For complete information and suggestions check out the Department of Health in Erie County’s website: http://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=ticks-lyme-disease. It has a video of how to remove a tick and info on how to prevent as well as identify.  

Gardening events in July:
 
         Even though Garden Walk Buffalo and most of the weekend community garden walks have been canceled Open Gardens on Thursday and Friday are still happening. My gardens are open on Fridays from 10-2. Please stop by. Masks and safe distancing will be required.
 
Garden Walk Buffalo and the East Side Garden Walk are sharing gardens differently in 2020 with a program called Garden Views.
Activities will happen every day in July and will include strolling by front yard gardens, seeing backyard gardens on video, hearing live gardening experts and hearing garden stories all virtually. For information and schedules go to https://www.gardensbuffaloniagara.com/ or buffaloniagaragardening,com

Master Gardener Online Garden Fence Chats
 Join our CCE Erie Master Gardener hotline volunteers as we host virtual hotline hours or ‘Garden Fence Chats’ which are now held Monday and Wednesdays at 10 AM instead of daily. Monday’s chat is on a specific topic and the Wednesday chat covers what’s happening in our gardens.

REGISTER FOR GARDEN FENCE CHATS HERE    https://cornell.zoom.us/meeting/register/vpYvcu6trTspMthpDqjMUzrOiSoFqWp1eQ?fbclid=IwAR3qWjL-oua5i7Sjqm6y6lXaanBXl1inS_GOQu3wfjUjA0KaGwZSTrsvGdU

This will be an opportunity to chat with Master Gardener hotline volunteers real time and share your gardening questions either by phone or the computer. The link above will also list the topics for Mondays. They are also listed on Buffalo-niagaragardening.com.
 
Don’t forget to contact me for a garden consult. I can help improve your garden and gardening practices as well as save you time and money! It’s not too late for improvements.
       
Happy Gardening!
Lyn Chimera
Lessons from Nature
170 Pine St.
E. Aurora, NY 14052
[email protected]
652-2432