On the Late Summer Garden...

Unless you’ve planned ahead, late summer can mean dog days in the garden as the brilliant colors of spring and early summer fades to a droopy green. Sometimes we feel like there’s nothing to do but give up. By August, our gardens can look tired and tattered. There are some things that can be done now to revive the garden and carry you into the fall.

Now is a good time to look around and see where the “blank” spots are in the garden; to see what part of the garden is lacking bloom. We often see these blank spots because all the plants we bought in the spring were spring or early summer bloomers. Now we can go to the garden center and pick some plants that will give us bloom or color into late summer and early autumn. Planting at this time will require some extra care since temperatures may be high and rainfall non-existent. New plants will need regular watering so that they establish well.

Looking at the garden we have already planted, there are some things we can do to keep it in good shape. Watering is our number one concern at this time of the year. It is essential to keep plants watered consistently during the heat of summer. On the average, plants need about an inch of water per week and it is best to give that whole inch at one time. A good, deep watering once a week helps the plant develop a deep root system and gives the plant a good reservoir of water from which to draw. Avoid frequent sprinkling, as it never wets the soil thoroughly. During really hot weather, we may need to may that inch of water available a couple of times a week. The weather and the plant’s environment will dictate water needs. Keeping your plants watered helps keep them growing well and looking good.

Mulch can play in important role in the garden at this time. Mulch helps conserve water, keeps root systems cooler and reduces weeds. During this time of year, inspect your mulch to see if it’s intact and doing it’s job or if it has decayed down to a thin layer. Two to three inches of mulch is a good amount. Less than that may be insufficient to get the job done. If your mulch layer is depleted, now is a good time to add some.

The question of fertilizer almost always comes up in any discussion of gardening. The question to ask now is: “Do my plants need fertilizer now?” Late summer is not always a good time for fertilizer. Plants are often under heart or drought stress and fertilizer will not help them. In some cases, it could even be harmful. Plants that are in dry soil may have their roots burned by fertilizer, even when the correct amount is used. If a plant is dry, give it what it needs – Water. And save the fertilizer for another time.

Some plants may need to be rejuvenated in late summer. If some of your perennials have turned brown or are looking tattered, cut them back and give them some water to encourage new growth. Many perennials respond favorably to this kind of treatment and if one or two don’t, then at least you’ve removed an eyesore from your garden. Those plants that don’t regrow now, will do so next spring from the root system.

Deadheading can also improve the appearance of your late summer garden. Remove spent flowers to keep your garden tidy. You may not want to deadhead everything, especially if your are planning on some of those plants reseeding themselves, are trying to get plants to naturalize or are trying to attract birds. Know what your purpose is and than deadhead accordingly.

The final task – and the one that many gardeners dread - is weeding. Sometimes out late season gardens look bad because the weeds have gained a foothold. Get out and get the weeds out and your garden will look better immediately. Also your perennials will grow better without the competition of the weeds. Lay down that layer of mulch we talked about earlier and your weed problem will be considerably lessened.

If you planted tomatoes and other veggies during the past few months, harvest them often for an ongoing supply. Pick tomatoes, peppers and tomatillos early in the morning on the day you plan to eat them. Select okra, eggplants, squash and cucumbers when they are small and tender. Sow turnips, mustard greens, beets, radishes, collards and spinach now for the fall. If you have extras from your garden, share the bounty with family, neighbors and friends. If your neighbors are hiding out from you when they see you coming with your bag of tomatoes and squashes, check out the community center to donate your excess – there are plenty of folks in our community who would love some garden-fresh produce.

Cooler days and nights are coming, even though it might not look like it today. Prepare your lawn for the cooler days and nights ahead. Now is an excellent time to establish fescue, perennial ryegrass and bluegrass. If you are sowing the seeds for a new lawn, use a lower nitrogen, higher phosphorous fertilizer, such as 18-24-10. As always, I think organic is best. If you have an established lawn, go with a higher nitrogen formula like 31-2-4.

Did your tulips and hyacinths come up short last year? They probably needed more chill time! Purchase your bulbs NOW and place them in the vegetable bins of your refrigerator for at least six to eight weeks before planting. Plant autumn crocus bulbs (Colchicum sp.) and you will be rewarded with a multitude of pink blooms.

Prune and fertilize your ever-blooming roses now for a big show of fall flowers. Remove dead stems and shorten healthy canes by about one third. Feed with fish emulsion (or rose food) and add clean mulch to conserve moisture and reduce disease. Water well once or twice a week if it doesn’t rain. To avoid black spot, powdery mildew and rust, don’t use an overhead sprinkler.

There are many autumn perennials that provide breathtaking fall color. Old-fashioned mums, such as “Sheffield Pink” and “Single Apricot Korean”, planted along the front of your flower beds will mound and spill over the edges. Use asters along with Japanese anemones for the middle and back of the borders.

To lift your garden out of the late-summertime rut, consider some of these alternatives. You may be able to find them in containers at your local garden center.

Coleus: New cultivars have given this old standby annual a whole new dazzle. The colors are more intense, the combinations of color are numerous and there are even a few that can take full sun. Most of the new ones don’t bloom, so you won’t have to worry about deadheading. Planted in masses, these spots of vibrant color can carry your garden through from spring until frost.

Alternanthera: Stunning, lush and easy – these all describe this plant that puts on a show of dark purple foliage from spring to frost. It’s an annual that’s very easy to grow and tough enough to handle harsh weather and heat. The plant can reach 1-1/2 to almost 3 feet high and nearly as wide.

Salvia: This is a large family of annuals and perennials, some of which bloom over long periods, including into the fall. All salvias require good drainage and generally grow quickly. Many are favorites of hummingbirds and butterflies. The Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha) has phenomenal lavender and white spikes from late summer to frost. “Indigo Spires” will produce dark purple flowers on arching stems all summer until frost. Autumn sage (S. greggii) is a staple in desert landscaping because of its tolerance of heat and drought. It blooms over long periods and is available in purplish-red, red, white, pink and coral. The fire-engine red flowers of pineapple sage (S. elegans) start in earnest in late summer. The common scarlet sage (S. splendens), which blooms from spring to frost, also comes in a variety of other colors including cream, pink, orange, salmon, purple and a few bi-color varieties.

Dwarf Crape Myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica): The lovely woody shrubs and trees gardeners have come to depend on in August can also provide color close to the ground. The semi-dwarf and dwarf forms can easily be tucked into landscape beds. Some of the smaller ones are “Chickasaw” (pink-lavender), “Victor” (red), “Monink” (bright pink), “Moned” (rose red) and “Bourbon Street” (watermelon red and a weeping variety).

Bringing some new things into the garden can make this late-summer/early-autumn time a glorious and enjoyable time in your garden. Be sure to keep track of what works for you and brings those memorable flashes of color. You’ll want to recreate the brilliance of this summer and autumn for many years to come.

A Message of Tolerance...

Today an eco-friendly garden. Tomorrow the world.
There are lots of great ideas for going greener in the garden. Some you can start right away. Other ideas, such as reducing the size of your lawn, may be more gradual. One small thing often leads to another and one day you find that you’re not only an active eco-gardener; you are a true friend of the planet.

Start small.
The very first step in going greener would be to water wisely and use organic pesticides and fertilizers.

Organic gardening is growing without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides and inorganic fertilizers that pollute our soil and water. It relies on the use of beneficial insects, diversity of plants, and the use of compost to supply the soil with nutrients. A very wise Master Gardener once told me, “Feed the soil and the soil will feed your plants.” I know I’ve harped and harped about feeding the soil – and I’m sure you’re all sick of hearing it – but it really is the most vitally positive thing you can do for your garden. There are more and more organic pesticides and fertilizers on the market everyday. Even if you only use a few organic products and techniques, you'll be helping.

Water wisely.
Drip irrigation is a controlled, slow application of water that flows under low pressure through plastic pipe or hose laid along each row of plants. The water drips out of tiny holes that are made in the hose wall or from fittings called emitters that are plugged into the wall at proper spacing. Soil moisture remains constant, and air is always available. By delivering water directly to plants, little is lost to evaporation or runoff so this technique is very water efficient. A variety of emitters allow the proper amount of water to be delivered to each individual plant. It is one of the best techniques for watering gardens, fruit trees, vines and container plants.

If you don't have a drip irrigation system, having a well designed, well-timed sprinkler system saves money and reduces water waste. Sprinkler timing devices range in price and are fairly easy to use. Use a moisture sensor in your landscape to help determine when to water and the right amount. Remember to adjust the timer on the sprinkler system according to changing weather conditions. This will also help save water and money. The time of day you water is very important. Try to water in the early morning or in the evening. Otherwise, the water from the sprinkler will evaporate before it soaks into the ground.

Rain barrels offer an inexpensive and virtually effortless way to capture mineral- and chlorine-free water for watering your garden or lawn. By harnessing this resource from nature, you’ll not only notice a significant decrease in your water bill, you'll also see a reduction in storm water runoff, which will help prevent flooding and erosion. You’ll want to consider using mosquito dunks or mosquito fish to keep your rain barrel free of Skeeter larvae.

Make compost.
A real circle of life, plants feed you and then you feed your plants. Try making compost from green waste. It’s a great way to enrich your soil fertility, giving it a dose of high-powered nutrients. Aside from encouraging strong root development, the addition of compost also will improve your soil texture, aeration and water retention. Good soil has better water absorption and water-holding capacity, allowing you to reduce the amount of water you use.

Mulch your planting beds.
By helping to retain moisture, suppress weeds and insulate plants from extreme temperatures, mulch helps your garden thrive. Any material such as wood chips, straw, nutshells, paper, sawdust, leaves, seaweed, grass clippings or compost can be used as mulch. Mulching is a way to recycle materials that might otherwise be discarded and while improving your soil.

Recycle.
In addition to reusing plant containers to house your greenery, why not check out the variety of attractive, environmentally friendly planters and raised-garden kits now available at most garden centers. Whether you choose pots made from recycled copper, plastic, or even rubber to anchor your tender shoots, it all helps make a difference – plus you end up with a fabulous-looking garden.

Start growing your own food.
It may sound like a novel idea, but really, what could be more basic than growing your own food? You won’t find fresher, healthier—or cheaper—eating anywhere else. There’s nothing more satisfying than plucking a fresh blueberry off the bush minutes before you eat it. You can start small – look for an area in your yard with some sun and good drainage. And if you need more space, don’t be afraid to reclaim a little of your yard for more edibles.

Rethink your lawn.
When considering a landscape's water requirement, it is important to note that turf grasses require more frequent watering and maintenance than most other landscape plants. Carefully select grass according to its intended use, planting location and maintenance requirements. Planting the lowest water-use turf grass adapted to the region is an effective way to reduce landscape irrigation requirements. Achieving a significant reduction in water consumption and landscape maintenance may also involve reducing the size of water-sensitive lawns through the use of patios, decks, shrub beds and groundcovers.

Plant more trees.
Many newer neighborhoods in this country just don’t have enough trees. Recent suburbs and developments are built on former farm fields with no trees. If possible, homeowners should plant trees. Trees, just like all plants, breathe oxygen back in to the atmosphere. They create shade, which can cut air-conditioning costs for your home, and they add all-season beauty.

Bring on the bees and butterflies.
Welcome bees and butterflies to your garden by including a variety of native flowers they’re drawn to, such as lemon balm, wild lilac and goldenrod. By the way, you may have already heard we’re in the midst of a major bee-loss epidemic. This is serious business because pollinators affect 35 percent of the world’s crop production—and increase the output of 87 of the leading food crops worldwide. Do your part to help welcome them back!

Spread compost and spread the word.
Be an advocate for eco-friendly gardening. Tell your friends, share your ideas and you will make a difference.

Beat The Heat In Your Garden

Obviously hot weather has adverse effects on plants, but what about the adverse effects on gardeners? Is human heat stress not of equal or greater importance? To understand how to reduce or minimize heat stress or heat-related illnesses, one must first understand what causes heat stress and when it is most likely to occur. Heat stress occurs when the body is unable to get rid of excess body heat by its normal exhaust methods - either from sweat evaporation, or from increased blood circulation to the skin surface where body heat can escape through radiation.

Environmental Conditions and Individual Factors - The four major environmental conditions that affect heat stress are air temperature, humidity, wind velocity, and radiant heat. Combine these with individual factors such as age, gender, weight, physical and medical conditions, and a person's degree of heat acclimation, and you can begin to predict how well a person might hold up in a hot, humid, still environment.

Heat-related illnesses - The majority of heat-related illnesses - early heat illness or fainting, heat cramps, heat rash, and heat exhaustion - are considered minor. Just because these illnesses are considered minor doesn't mean that they aren't important to recognize, and to try to avoid or minimize. For ill or frail individuals these illnesses may require medical attention.

The one heat-related illness considered major is heat stroke. Someone suffering from heat stroke can be in a life-or-death situation to which the first response should always be a 911-phone call.

The following are just some of the signs, symptoms, causes and treatments of these illnesses - consult medical references for additional information:

Early heat illness or fainting - Signs and symptoms - dizziness, fatigue and irritability; difficulty concentrating or making decisions. Cause - reduced blood flow to brain. Treatments - drink water; loosen clothes; rest in shade.

Heat cramps - Signs and symptoms - painful arm, leg or stomach muscle spasms; thirst and heavy sweating; (may not occur until after gardening activities). Cause - body salt loss due to sweating. Treatments - drink water, and avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine; remove hat and loosen clothes; rest; lightly stretch muscles in a cool location.

Heat rash ("prickly heat") - Signs and symptoms - pricking sensation and tiny, blister-like red skin spots usually on body areas covered by clothes. Cause - plugged and inflamed sweat glands. Treatments - wear loose clothes; wash skin; apply talcum powder.

Heat exhaustion - Signs and symptoms - early heat illness signs, plus: loss of coordination; collapse; heavy sweating; cool, moist, pale skin; dry mouth with excessive thirst; fast pulse; low to normal temperature. Causes - reduced blood circulation and flow to brain; dehydration. Treatments - if conscious, give cool water to drink (do NOT give beverages containing caffeine or alcohol)-- make sure they drink slowly by giving a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes; rest lying down in a cooler, shaded area; loosen or remove clothing and hat; splash cold water on body and massage arms and legs.

Heat stroke - (May occur suddenly and is life-threatening. According to the American Red Cross. Follow the following recommendation.) Signs and symptoms - dizziness, confusion, headaches, irrational behavior, coma; reduced or no sweating; fast pulse; rapid breathing; convulsions, nausea, vomiting. Causes - dehydration; sustained exertion; reduced blood flow to brain, heart, etc.; body unable to cool itself; overexposure to high temperatures even without exertion. Treatments - call 911; move to shaded area; remove shoes and outer clothing, wrap in wet cloth/pour water on/fan rapidly; elevate legs; clear vomit to prevent choking; if victim refuses water, is vomiting, or there are changes in level of consciousness, do not give anything to eat or drink.

Heat stress solutions - How should gardeners avoid becoming a safety threat to themselves and others when it's hot? Start by evaluating potential risk of heat stress relative to the individual factors listed above. Someone who is older, overweight, in poor physical condition, taking allergy medication, or not used to being out in the heat is at far greater risk than someone who is young, trim, on a regular exercise program, and used to the heat.

Become a weather watcher. Set up a small weather station (with a high/low thermometer, rain gauge, etc.) to monitor not only the temperature, rainfall, etc., relative to plant growth, but also relative to personal safety. Watch or listen to the weather forecast each morning and noon to know in advance when stressful environmental conditions may occur. Plan activities for cooler time of day or season.

Evaluate work tasks and the time of day during which they must or can be done. Tasks that occur outdoors in sunny areas should be done in early morning or late afternoon whenever possible, not during the midday heat. Most watering, pruning, dead heading, etc., is better for plants when done in early morning. Many chemicals, especially insecticides, are better applied late in the day when the wind is down and beneficial insects are not present. Also, many chemicals volatilize quickly in the heat, losing their effectiveness and possibly causing harmful reactions to the applicator.

Allow yourself to acclimate to the heat slowly. Over a period of a week or two, gradually increase the amount of time spent in hot, still areas or in direct sun. Don't save hours of hoeing weeds from garden beds for the first day it goes over 90°F. Avoid working on surfaces such as asphalt, or near items such as metal, that may become very hot.

Be sure to stay hydrated, drinking as many liquids as possible. Don't wait until you are thirsty to have a drink, as thirst is an indicator that your body is already dehydrated. Water is preferred, except when heat cramps occur (then drink a lightly salted beverage like a sports drink). The water's temperature should be cool, not cold. Flavored beverages, such as fruit juices, iced tea and lemonade, as long as their sugar and salt content is low, are good water substitutes if they encourage large quantity consumption.

Perhaps one of the easiest ways to reduce heat stress is to dress appropriately. Though tempting, do not work in the yard in a tank top or without a shirt due to the potential for sunburn and skin cancer. Wear loose fitting, light colored clothes. Keep the fabric content high in cotton to aid sweat evaporation. Neckbands, headbands, wristbands, visors, and hats can increase evaporation to keep the body cool.

Lastly, take frequent breaks to reduce the amount of time spent in the sun or heat. After working for an hour, take a break to cool down and have a drink in the shade to reduce the build up of heat stress on your body.

Gardening Jobs For July:
You can sow a fall crop of bush beans now. Plant seeds two inches deep to protect them from the hot Sun. You can sow other vegetable seeds for an autumn yield, too, by planting them just a little deeper than you did in the spring. The best time to plant is after a rain shower.

If your celery is dong well, tie the stalks together to keep them from sprawling.

If you missed your peas’ peak period, you can still pick, dry and shell them for use in winter soups.

Don’t water your melons at the base of the stems. Doing so can cause rot. Build up a little earth around the stems to keep water away.

Once melon vines have set three or four fruits, remove any new blossoms. The remaining fruits will benefit from this, and you will still have plenty.

Marvelous Melons

Who can resist a sweet, juicy slice of chilled honeydew on a hot summer day? Melons are fun to grow, taste fabulous and are really good for you. A triangle of melon on a Popsicle stick and popped in the freezer until hardened is a great summertime treat. Melon is great in a cool smoothie, with some pineapple and yogurt, maybe a banana and some ice. Yum!

According to Webster's Dictionary, melons are "the large round fruit of various plants of the gourd family, with sweet pulpy flesh and many seeds (honeydew, cantaloupe, muskmelon)." They are vining, warm-season fruits, growing best in regions with long summers. Although both male and female flowers grow on the same plant, bees are necessary for pollination and fruiting. Most melons ripen in late summer or early- to mid-fall. They range in size from slightly larger than a softball to hefty 15-pound varieties, and in color - both outside and inside, with pale grayish-white to very dark green skin and the palest yellow to the brightest orange and green flesh. Their seeds fill the hollow center of the fruit.

Melons are a summertime delight - sweet and juicy fruits - whether freshly picked or cooled in the refrigerator. They’re versatile - more than a dessert or snack - as an ingredient in salads, salsas, side dishes, entrees, and drinks. Even the ripe seeds, dried and toasted, make a healthy snack.

Humankind has been enjoying melons for more than 4,000 years. Surprisingly, melons have never been found growing in the wild - other than escapees from someone's garden. Melons are believed to have originated in the hot valleys of southwest Asia - specifically Iran (Persia) and India. Early American settlers grew cultivars of honeydew and casaba melons back in the 1600s. Yet, only in recent times, many more varieties are available, often out of season in grocery stores. Of course, growing melons from seed gives you the best choice of types and cultivated varieties.
The first documented use of the word "melon" was about 1395. John Ayto's Dictionary of Word Origins suggests that the word is derived from Melos (the Greek Cyclades Islands, best known for the Venus de Milo). Melons wend their way into literature. In their text, the Mahometans (very early name for the followers of Mohammed) wrote that eating a melon produces a thousand good works.

Melons are vining, warm season plants with fleshy fruits in the Cucurbitaceae family. There are two genera: Citrulius (watermelons) and Cucumis (all other melons.) They bear large round fruit with a pulpy flesh and many seeds. Cantaloupe, honeydew, muskmelon and watermelon are the best-known examples of this family. Melons originated from southwest Asia and have been cultivated for more than 4,000 years. Melons have been pleasing palates since the days of ancient Rome. Crenshaws, honeydews, cantaloupes and all their relatives crave heat and take their time maturing. They'll grow in USDA zone 4 and warmer, but north of zone 7, grow short-season varieties and protect plants from chilly temperatures.

There are numerous types of melons available in various regions around the world. The most popular melons in North America are the cantaloupe, muskmelon and honeydew types. As gardeners travel, they eat new fruits and vegetables and wish to grow the tasty fruits eaten overseas. These unusual types of melons are available primarily from seed. Look for these distinct types in mail-order catalogs or seed packets sold in retail stores.

ANANAS MELONS (a.k.a. Middle Eastern melons) are oval shaped with medium-fine netting over pale green to orange rind. Very sweet, aromatic white flesh. One variety has orange-pink flesh. Average weight is three to four pounds.

ATHENA CANTALOUPES are Eastern U.S. cantaloupes. They are early maturing, oval-shaped; yellow-orange summer melons with firm, thick, yellow-orange flesh. The skin is slightly sutured with coarse netting. Average weight is 5 to 6 pounds. Left on the vine or harvested, the flesh remains firm.

CANARY MELONS (a.k.a. Spanish, Juan Canary, Jaune des Canaries, and San Juan canary melons), have bright yellow rinds and an oblong shape. Inside, the pale, cream-colored flesh is juicy, and the flavor is very mild.

CASABA MELONS The oval shape with a pointy end, coupled with wrinkled yellow skin sets casabas off from other melons. As does its heft: weighing in at four to seven pounds. The pale, almost white flesh is extremely sweet.

CHARENTAIS MELONS (a.k.a. French Charentais) are French melons identifiable by their smooth, gray, or gray-blue rinds with sutures and orange flesh. Small, cut in half they serve two for breakfast.

CHRISTMAS MELONS (a.k.a. Piel de Sapo and Rochet) have a football shape, weighing upwards of 5 to 8 pounds. Cut through the yellow to green mottled rinds to reveal the palest orange or light green flesh depending upon the variety. Sweet flesh.

CRENSHAW MELONS (also seen as cranshaw) are a Casaba cross with a slightly more oblong shape, weighing at least 5 pounds. The slightly wrinkled green rind ripens to yellow. Inside, the flesh is pale peachy orange. It has a strong, spicy aroma.

GALIA MELONS are Israeli melons that have netted rinds similar to cantaloupes but paler in color. The sweet pale green to almost white flesh has the consistency of a honeydew with what has been described as a spicy-sweet or banana-like aroma. When ripe, they slip from the vine.

HONEYDEWS (a.k.a. honeydew melon, honey dew melon), second only to "cantaloupes" in popularity, have smooth, white to greenish-white rinds (some may be yellow) and open to reveal refreshingly sweet flesh that may be green, white, or orange. Its texture is similar to a cantaloupe, but the flavor more subtle and sweet.

MUSKMELONS are the familiar American cantaloupes with orange flesh and netted skin.

ORIENTAL MELONS are small (weighing a little more than a pound), elongated yellow melons with white sutures, and sweet, pale peach to white flesh. Because the seeds are so small and the rind is so thin, the entire melon can be eaten.

PERSIAN MELONS, bigger than cantaloupes, have a dark green rind with light brown netting. As it ripens, the rind turns to light green. Bright pink-orange flesh has a delicate flavor. Unlike most melons in the Reticulatus group, Persian melons do not slip from the vine when mature.

TRUE CANTALOUPE, named for the town of Cantalupo near Rome, Italy has rough-warty (not netted) skin. This is the European cantaloupe, rarely grown in America.

WINTER MELON is the catchall name for the long-season, long-keeping (a month or more at room temperature) melons, including Crenshaw, casaba, canary, and Christmas melons.

Soil Preparation: Melons prefer soils with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8, which indicates adequate calcium availability—an important guard against blossom-end rot. Work 2 to 3 inches of finished compost into your melon beds before planting. Adding compost provides nutrients to your melons, helps distribute moisture evenly, and furnishes oxygen for root growth.

Timing of Planting: Soil temperature must reach at least 60°F before you plant—about a week after the last frost.

Spacing: If you direct-seed, sow seeds in clusters of five to six, planting each cluster in a hill—a mound of soil (1 foot high by 2 to 3 feet wide)—to increase drainage. If you're using seedlings, plant 2 or 3 per hill. For muskmelon and honeydew plants, space hills 1.5 to 2 feet apart, leaving 4 to 6 feet between rows. For watermelons, add another foot or two to these guidelines.

Watering: Melons need about an inch of water each week. Water your plants carefully by hand or use drip irrigation, because wet foliage promotes the spread of diseases such as angular leaf spot and downy mildew.

Fertilizing: Mix a solution of 1 tablespoon of fish emulsion in 1 gallon of water and apply it weekly when the plants are young. An application of a kelp-based foliar spray when the plants are in full flower will complete fertilization. Pest Watch Squash bugs, cucumber beetles (which also carry bacterial wilt), squash vine borers, and aphids (carriers of mosaic viruses). Disease Alert Powdery mildew, mosaic viruses, angular leaf spot and other fungal and bacterial diseases.

Harvesting: Pick cantaloupes when the stem separates easily from the melon. For netted melon varieties, the skin between the netting will turn from green to yellow at ripeness. Honeydews will soften slightly on the flower end of the fruit when ripe, along with a slight change in fruit color. Check the belly of watermelons for the best indicator of ripeness. The belly turns from greenish white to buttery yellow or cream at maturity. This change is most noticeable on watermelons with dark green skin.

Plant It And They Will Come...

But first, you might want to do some research or have some pointers to the right direction.

Choose a sunny location! Butterflies are solar powered creatures. They need to be warm and dry in order to fly. A cloud crossing over the sun can make butterfly activity drop from dozens during a sunny period to none at all a few minutes later when it’s cloudy. If you do not have an open yard, plant a series of small gardens that will take advantage of the sunny spots as the sun moves through your yard. The butterflies will move with the sun.

Provide shelter! Butterflies are fragile and can be blown about easily. Good thing there where no butterflies about Saturday night at the Rooster Crow site! Gardens on the edges of your yard, up against shrubby or forested areas or a fence can offer considerable protection from strong winds. Gardens placed out in the most open part of your property to take advantage of the sun all day long will be more attractive to butterflies if designed to also offer shelter. A horseshoe shaped garden that utilizes flowering shrubs offers nectar out of the wind on at least one of its edges no matter what direction the wind is blowing, even on the windiest day. Hummingbirds utilize cover near gardens and feeders in between feeding sessions. Dead snags and bare twigs in nearby shrubs become favored resting spots and can be predictable places to search for perched hummingbirds. Keep in mind that hummingbirds favor slim, downward sloping branches over open areas for their nests, just the sort of branches that border your open yard and gardens. Keep this in mind when trimming in the early spring.

The importance of diversity. A wide open grass lawn with a lone hummingbird or butterfly garden in the middle of it may attract some activity but probably very little compared to an area with lots of options. Diversity is the key. You can incorporate into your plan formal and informal areas, natural or weedy areas or edges, plantings of trees and shrubs, a wildflower meadow and a minimal amount of lawn. Butterfly and hummingbird activity will take off…like a hummingbird!

Work with what you already have. Incorporate your gardens into available spots. Do not cut down your forest to put in a butterfly garden or create a meadow. Use some of your mowed lawn instead. Get thee to the library to research caterpillar food plants. You will want to plant some of these.

Long term planting. Sketch a plan for your property incorporating all the elements mentioned above that you want in your garden habitats. The plan can be carried out in stages, each year tackling a different garden, meadow, shrub border or even a pond area. You’ll find it very helpful to have a rough plan to be working from. If a permanent watering system is possible, consider it early on before you’ve planted hundreds of dollars worth of plants. Such a watering system will help you through drought periods and in the first year of a new garden’s life. By planting natives you should be able to keep watering to a minimum.

Be selective and plant in masses. A garden with one hundred different kinds of plants, one or two of each is much less attractive to butterflies and hummers than massed plantings of well-selected plants. You’ll probably want to include plants favored by butterflies and hummers. Butterfly bush, bee balm, coneflower and honeysuckle are all high on the list. Your local nurseryman should be able to make some good recommendations and don’t forget the folks at the Master Gardeners through the extension. They are a veritable wealth of information and love to talk gardening. Be sure to cover the tough times too by providing early spring bloomers and plants that bloom right up until the first heavy frost in the late fall.

Mix perennials with annuals. Perennials only need to be planted once; they live from year to year, with varying blooming periods. Over time, many perennials need to be divided, providing you with new plants to stretch your gardens even further into the yard or to give away to friends. Annuals are short-lived plants; their entire life cycle takes place in one growing season. They must be planted from seed each year, although some do reseed themselves. Many of them have a longer blooming period than perennials and they can be tucked into bare spots in your perennial garden as filler. Many annuals bloom right up until first frost.

Natives. Choose as many native plants as possible. It’s just the right thing to do! Being native, they belong here and will require less care (water, fertilizer, pampering). Many gardeners in the Rogue Valley are purists when it comes to tree, shrub and vine selection for bird gardens/food, but not when it comes to butterfly and hummingbird gardening. In my own adventures in butterfly and hummer gardening, I tend to include as many natives as possible, but to compliment those with alien plants that are non-invasive and fill in the spaces in the garden, so there is in unending offering of intense nectar spring through the first hard frost.

Provide Nectar Spring Through Late Fall. Choose as many plants as you can that flower in the spring, but also value and spare some of your “weeds” that are spring bloomers (mustards, purple dead nettle, clovers, dandelions, common strawberry) and note the butterfly activity they attract. Include long blooming nectar plants like butterfly bush in your gardens. Butterfly bush begins blooming in July and blooms right up until the frost. This is a real bonus for migratory butterflies and late moving hummers. To encourage such a lengthy blooming season does require some work on your part. You need to deadhead the spent flowers; otherwise the plant puts its energy into developing seeds and stops producing flowers. With all the concern about butterfly bush being invasive, by deadheading it you nip this in the bud, so to speak. Save space in your gardens for long blooming annuals like zinnias, Mexican sunflowers, tropical sage and tropical milkweed. Some gardeners swear by marigolds. All of these annuals bloom right up until the frost, an important time period to cover.