Middle Atlantic

Flower & Garden Magazine, June, 1999 by J. Robert Nuss

Vegetables and flowers should be watered weekly during the growing season. Frequent watering produces shallow, weak roots. Apply 1 inch of water to wet the soil 6 to 8 inches. Mulch conserves water, which is helpful when supplies are limited.

Hot weather often results in poor fruit set on tomato, bean and vine crops. Harvest ripe vegetables in the coolness of the morning to retain quality. Store crops separately, keeping leafy material away from fruit and root crops.

Off-color foliage in the garden may signal a magnesium deficiency. Apply a foliage spray made with one tablespoon of Epsom salts per quart of water, and soil test for next season's crops.

Mow lawns at the proper height based on turf species. Infrequent mowing weakens turf, resulting in less tolerance to summer heat. Frequent cutting produces shorter clippings that can remain on the lawn, thereby reducing waste.

Remove spent flowers on annuals and perennials to extend the blooming period. With rhododendron and lilac for example, this increases the number of flowers next season. Fruit-producing plants need no attention.

Prune pine, spruce and firs before new growth begins to harden. Terminal buds will not form if pruning is done later. Yews (Taxus) are the only needle evergreens that can be pruned later with no adverse affect.

Compost all garden waste. For smaller gardens with limited waste, consider large plastic trash containers or bags to hold the refuse. Keep the material moist and roll the can or bag every few weeks to mix the material. After several months, quality compost will be available.

Keep the foliage growing as long as possible on spring bulbs. Divide and rejuvenate bulbs after the foliage yellows and begins to die down. Either replant the bulbs immediately or store them in paper bags with holes punched for air circulation, until the normal fall planting season.