Summer Gardening
Calendar
Ideally we had a lovely spring with its periodic rains and are moving into what looks like a
promising summer for plants. Plants
are leafing out nicely, and here at The Arboretum we hope for an unusually prolific
spring exhibition from our bulbs, some of which may not have shown themselves for
years. But
dreaming aside, the adaptability of plants
to harsh conditions continues to amaze me!
Early-Summer
Planting. By now, you’ve probably planted most of the cold-weather
crops, and hopefully we haven’t had a frost to set them back.
If we have, try again with plants that won’t bolt (accelerated flower
and seed production) in the mid-summer heat, such as lettuce, spinach, and
parsley. When evening temperatures
begin to stay well above freezing, it’s time to plant the warm-weather crops,
such as tomatoes and peppers. Blankets and row covers can provide protection for the more
tender plants on cold nights to prevent sluggish growth.
You can also start planting summer blooming annuals and perennials.
As bulb leaves die back, you can dig the bulbs and amend the soil with
organic materials before replanting in the same spot or moving to a new
location.
Fertilizing. Fertilize lawns, flower beds, and vegetables after thinning
to give them a good start for the growing season.
Organic based fertilizers are available for lawns, as well as your other
plants.
Watering. We’re heading into the warm and dry season.
If you want good growth and flowering during this dry part of the summer
before monsoons, water regularly and deeply, typically once each week under
normal conditions, but more frequently when it gets above 90 degrees.
Many established native plants will get by with less frequent watering
until the monsoons, when they will put on their show.
Be sure to check your irrigation systems periodically.
Mulch. If
you previously removed all mulch to warm the soil, you might want to redress the
soil around your plants with a thin to moderate layer to reduce water
evaporation and to control weeds.
Pruning. Once early blooming shrubs have completed their flowering,
it’s time for their annual pruning. Spent
spring flowers should be removed at this time so the plant will focus their
energy on this year’s growth. If
your fruit trees have by good fortune produced an overabundance of fruit, begin
thinning fruits to several per branch to get larger fruit.
Mid-Summer
Planting. If you are a bit of a risk-taker (which includes anyone
growing veggies around Flagstaff, right?), calculate backwards from the expected
date of the first hard frost for your location to determine when to plant a
second round of quick-growing vegetables that can take the cool early fall
nights (kale, spinach, onions, radishes).
Fertilizing. Feed annuals, potted plants, and vegetables monthly through
the growing season.
Watering. Continue to deep-water lawns, perennials, shrubs, and trees
until the monsoons arrive. Keeping
lawns 2 to 3 inches in height will help protect against drying out by keeping
the ground shaded and therefore cooler.
Maintenance. Try to keep up with the weeds before they go to seed to
minimize future weeding efforts. For
those weeds with stout roots that are difficult to pull out completely, keep
removing the top growth every two weeks to drain the energy out of the roots.
Be persistent, and you’ll eventually win the war through attrition!
Late-Summer
Planting. Monsoon season is a great time to plant perennials, shrubs,
and trees for next year. The higher
humidity and frequent, if not regular, precipitation greatly reduces the stress
of new plants getting started and gives them time to establish new roots in the
soil before the onset of winter.
Watering. Hopefully, the monsoons have arrived in earnest and you can
cut back or eliminate regular watering of your gardens. Remember to check irrigation timer clocks to be sure
lightning storms haven’t disrupted the clock or any of the programming.
Now is a good time to replace the batteries since fresh batteries will be
more likely to maintain your programming even with a few electrical disruptions.
Harvest
Time!
Hopefully, you are harvesting lots of wonderful goodies from your
vegetable gardens by now. If cold nights are predicted, cover the warm-weather crops at
night. Keep picking your produce in
its early stages for the best flavors and textures and to keep the plants
producing.
Planning
Ahead.
It’s also time to order bulbs for fall planting.
At this elevation though, spring may be a better time to plant bulbs so
that they are not battling the intense cold of our winters before becoming well
established.
