You’ve worked hard to cultivate your garden this past winter–but your hard work doesn’t have to stop there!
Carefully planned summer garden maintenance can provide your plants with everything they need so they can grow strong, beautiful, healthy, and bountiful.
Don’t miss out on all the opportunities that summer has to offer your plants!
Learn all about the must-known upkeep every summer gardener needs to perform on his or her garden by reading our guide below!
Table of Contents
1. Watering Regularly
It’s essential to keep your garden well-watered during the hot summer months to ensure your plants stay healthy. Check the moisture of your soil before you water for the best experience; water-logged soil can be harmful to your plants.
Additionally, try not to water in the mid-day summer heat as this will cause much of the water to evaporate. Aim for mornings and even better early evenings. During extremely hot times, water every second to the third day.
2. Mulching Around Your Plants
Mulching is a great way to conserve soil moisture, suppress weed growth, and help to insulate the roots of plants. For best results, mulch around your plants with 3 to 4 inches of organic matter. This can be anything from peat moss, straw, grass clippings, or even bark chips.
Be sure to keep the mulch away from the stems and trunks of your plants, as this can cause rot. When the garden begins to dry out, give it a quick refresher by top-dressing the mulch with additional organic matter.
3. Trimming Dead or Overgrown Branches
An overgrown garden is more prone to disease and can attract more pests. Dead branches can fall and cause injury or property damage. For safety reasons, start by clearing your garden of any fallen branches or debris.
Using pruning shears or loppers, cut through the dead or overgrown branches carefully. Take caution to avoid cutting live buds or branches that may still be growing. Cut the affected branches at least one to two inches past the discolored wood and remove it from the industry.
4. Fertilizing Regularly
During the summer, nutrients in the soil can be depleted more quickly due to evaporation and intense sunlight. Fertilizing helps to replenish nutrients, as well as promote root and plant growth. For best results, fertilize in the early morning or late afternoon, when temperatures are slightly cooler.
Make sure to water the soil thoroughly before and after application to ensure that the fertilizer is properly absorbed. Be mindful of the amount of fertilizer used, as too little may not be effective, and too much can potentially damage the plants.
5. Remove Dead Plants and Weeds
Plants and weeds can quickly overrun your garden and steal valuable nutrients intended for your other plants. Dead plants and weeds should be removed promptly because if left unattended, they’ll take over your garden.
To get rid of them, simply use a hand-held garden trowel to pull out any dead plants and weeds by their roots. To ensure the garden stays clean, see these waste removal services to rid of any larger garden debris.
Strategies to Maximize Garden Maintenance Best Practices
Summer is an exciting time to maintain and spruce up your garden. Taking small steps can go a long way toward ensuring your garden is healthy, beautiful, and plentiful all season long. Prepare now to keep your garden looking its best.
Did you enjoy these garden maintenance tips? Then why not check out some of our other articles? We write educational and informative content on everything from gardening maintenance and lifestyle to home and health.
