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    Home » Gardening

    10 Easy Summer Gardening Tips

    July 19, 2020 by Patti Estep 16 Comments

    Basket of cut flowers with text overlay stating 10 helpful tips for summer gardening.
    Pink geranium flower with a bee on it and text stating tips for gardening during the summer.

    Learn 10 different gardening tips that will make your life easier during the summer and help maintain a beautiful garden without a lot of effort.

    garden pic - 10 summer gardening tips

    I've been gardening in one form or another, all of my life. It always surprises me that things that seem second-hand nature to me, are not as easy for everyone. At least they don't think so, but let me assure you that it is very possible to a have great looking garden, without a ton of work. So, to help those of you who are interested, I'm sharing ten easy summer gardening tips that anyone can accomplish, with little time, and a minor amount of effort.

    Here's a pic of our back hillside. It is far from perfect. If you look close you can see a bunch of grass that has made its way into my juniper bush. Still, I love my garden and enjoy looking out at it from our kitchen sink window, and our back porch.

    In the summer it can get pretty hot and busy here. Also, I seem to have less time and desire to be in the garden so here are some of the ways I keep up my garden during the summer season.

    Gardening Tips for Summer

    1. Cut It Out

    By summer you can, and should, cut back any leftover leaves from your spring bulbs, like daffodils, and tulips. While you are at it, snoop around and remove any dead branches you see on any shrubs, perennials or annuals. I usually have my pruners in a pocket so that when I'm out watering, weeding, or just looking around, I can cut out anything that is dead, bent, or diseased.

     

    Watering hanging flower containers

    2. Watering Wisdom

    Water in the morning when it's cool. It's easier on you, and your plants. If you water during the heat of the day some of it will simply burn off with the sun. If you water at night you may promote mildew and fungus.  More importantly, water deeply and well. This is probably the most important lesson I've learned while gardening. You are better off watering for a long time twice a week than giving the plants a little sprinkle every day. Here's a trick I learned from the plethora of gardening tips given by Felder Rushing of the Gestalt Gardener Radio Show. If you like to use a watering can like I do, instead of a hose, go around and water your plants. Then make a second or third trip, allowing for deeper watering. This also helps with impatient people like me to keep moving but still get the job done. By the way, podcasts are a great way to help the time pass when you are doing your gardening chores. Here are my 5 favorite gardening podcasts.

     

    3. Off with Their Heads

    If you've been reading about gardening, you've been told about dead-heading. I'll admit that I'm pretty lazy with this one, though I do agree that it's a good thing to do. The easiest way to accomplish this is to snip off flowers on their last leg with the pruners, or in some cases simply pinch them off with your fingers. If you have any flowers that produce nice seed heads like coneflowers or sunflowers allow them to remain and go to seed. They will be great for birds and winter interest.

     

    Bearded Irisl - 10 summer gardening tips ~ gardenmatter.com

    4. Dividing Iris

    If you grow bearded iris summer is the time to divide them. Especially if you didn't have many blooms this year, because they do need to be divided every 4-5 years, and are best divided in the mid-late summer when they go dormant. This also gives them more time to establish a good root system before winter. For more information about divisions see: Dividing Perennials

     

    Garden Journal - 10 summer gardening tips

    5. Make a Note of It

    Busy impatient people like me find it hard to take the time to make a journal but, when I have recorded information and referred to it later it has really helped me in the garden. The easiest thing to do is keep a small notebook nearby and when you are in the mood on a nice evening, do a little garden audit. Write down where you have an empty space. Keep track of plants that have overgrown their space or seem like they are not thriving. Write down anything that you would like to change for next year's garden. This only needs to be done once a month, and will be a big help in the fall, and more importantly next spring, when you're planning for next year.

     

    6. Weeding Woes

    Everyone hates weeding. Okay, I hate it. I mentioned the wayward grass in my picture above. It's really hard to get rid of, so I work on pulling it out now and then and pretty much live with some of it. Not all weeds are hard to pull out, and the best time to get them is after the rain. If it rains at night and the morning is cool, I'm definitely weeding. It really makes this chore so much easier, and like exercise, I'm so glad I did it afterward.

     

    Flowering Oregano - 10 summer gardening tips

    7. Healthy Herbs

    If you like to cook with your herbs, you need to remove the flowers. Once the plant flowers it slows down the growth and prepares to end it's lifecycle. The pic above is oregano, however, basil is the one that loves to shoot up flowers in the summer. I just pinch them off when I see them, and this allows for a bushier, fuller plant to harvest, for tons of pesto and other yummy basil recipes.

     

    8. Pesky Critter Control

    It's so disheartening when you see holes in your plants from nasty slugs and other pests. If you notice Japanese beetles, grab a bucket of soapy water and pick them off the plant and drop them to their death. For slugs try a plate of cornmeal or a cup of beer that you sink into the ground near the affected area. They'll be attracted to the cornmeal which will kill them, and they will drown in the beer.

     

    9.  Invite Heros In

    Birds eat many insects, and there are many insects that eat other insects known as beneficial insects. You can invite these heroes into the garden by growing bright, nectar-rich plants they love, providing watering spots and houses for the birds. These plants also attract bees and other pollinators whose numbers are dwindling, so we need to support them in our local gardens. Read more about the missing bee mystery.

     

    Deer resistant bulbs - snowdrops

    10. Go Shopping

    Too hot outside? Start planning for next year by ordering spring-blooming bulbs, to plant in the fall. Sometimes the fall is busier than the summer, so it's best to plan ahead. After a long winter, you will be so glad that you took the time to plant new bulbs in the fall because there is nothing sweeter than the first sign of flowers in the spring.

     

    Basket of flowers

    Bonus Tip:

    Of all the gardening tips I can give you, the absolute best one is to enjoy your garden.

    Literally, "Stop and Smell the Roses." Be at peace with imperfection.

    Pick your flowers. Bring them inside to enjoy, and share a bouquet with someone you love.

    Patti signature

     

    Click Here to Save to Pinterest!

    Flower garden with text overlay 10 summer gardening tips.

     

     

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    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nancy Dorin

      July 24, 2020 at 1:16 pm

      Dear Patti,
      I am also an impatient gardener! I am also and accidental gardener. I buy things and just stick them in the ground and somehow it all works out for sequential blooming. But I'm devoted to the hard work. There is no way I would keep a journal. In stead I try to take photos of my gardens at different blooming times so I can remember what is there and when the bloom. That way I can plan where I need more or less blooming plants or what needs to be removed or divided.
      I just love your web page! Keep it up!
      Nancy

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        July 24, 2020 at 2:25 pm

        Nancy, your photo idea is a great one. I've also heard of apps that you can keep track of your plants. Something I think I dearly need. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    2. Joannne

      July 24, 2020 at 11:47 am

      Cheaper than beer to use to trap slugs and snails and more:
      It’s the fermentation that attracts them, so here is a cheap, easy substitute. Scale up the recipe depending on how many traps you are going to set out.
      For each cup of water, add 1 tsp. each of flour and sugar, and 1/2 tsp. of yeast. Stir it up well and pour it into tuna or other shallow cans. Set them out in your garden in the evening in shady or sheltered spots where these pests are likely to be lurking, especially near the base of plants that have been getting nibbled.
      In the morning, you may be amazed at what you find! I had thought snails were demolishing my pot of basil, but now I think it may have been the earwigs. There were about 20 in the can at the base of my basil pot, and the basil started looking much better after that. Traps I had set elsewhere in the garden had slugs, snails, many more earwigs, and even a few stink bugs. Good riddance to all!

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        July 24, 2020 at 11:56 am

        That's interesting Joanne. I'll have to try it. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    3. Carole West

      July 20, 2020 at 10:22 am

      Great tips and I love this quote: Be at peace with imperfection.

      Your garden reminds me of my grandmother's yard absolutely beautiful and after months of being on the road I'm ready to get my hands back in the dirt...
      Enjoy a great week friend - Carole

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        July 20, 2020 at 11:02 am

        Thanks Carole. That's an older picture of my yard. This year has been very hot with little rain. Also, we couldn't mulch in the spring with all the crazy so it doesn't look nearly as nice. Hopefully, next year it will get back into shape.

        Reply
    4. Jami @ An Oregon Cottage

      June 28, 2016 at 3:10 pm

      Wonderful tips, Patti! Watering a second time with a can? Love it! Also, still working on incorporating your bonus tip. 🙂

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        June 28, 2016 at 3:48 pm

        Thanks Jami! I was getting real with this one! 😉

        Reply
    5. Karen

      June 14, 2016 at 4:45 pm

      These tips are great, Patti. I just finished getting in a bed specifically for pollinators. I already see quite a few here in our yard, but working just a little more to make it welcoming for them is something I love to do.

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        June 15, 2016 at 8:06 am

        Hi Karen,

        I love that you made a bed specifically for pollinators. Great idea!

        Reply
    6. Jody

      June 14, 2016 at 7:42 am

      Love the pictures. The tips are great. Am planning for fall as I missed the spring. J

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        June 14, 2016 at 7:50 am

        Hi Jody,
        There's lots to do in the fall too, and for many the weather is much nicer.
        Thanks for your kind comment and stopping by,
        Patti

        Reply
    7. Beth

      June 14, 2016 at 7:12 am

      I love your blog--you provide such great info on gardening. I also tried your raspberry shrub recipe and absolutely loved it. So did my hubby! It is so refreshing just with sparkling water and great with vodka. It kind of reminds me of kambocha! Thanks for all your great info from one fellow gardener to another!

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        June 14, 2016 at 7:20 am

        Hi Beth,

        I love hearing from fellow gardeners. I'm so glad you like the raspberry shrub. I'm thinking of all the fun combos I can make with it next. I've never tried kambucha but my friend who sells tea was just talking about it. I wasn't sure about the shrub at first and loved it, so I'll probably love Kambucha too.
        Thanks for all your kind words,
        Patti

        Reply
    8. Kim

      June 14, 2016 at 6:43 am

      Hi. These gardening tips were so helpful! I too have been gardening for years and always love to hear there are other impatient gardeners out there. I love the advice " be at peace with imperfection". It's so true! It inspired me to really enjoy my garden Thanks so much. Kim

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        June 14, 2016 at 7:14 am

        Hi Kim,

        Thanks for the kind comment. I know there are a lot of us impatient gardeners out there. It's been such a nice season here in PA so far but unfortunately I had some unusual commitments this spring which has me behind but the garden still looks pretty good.
        Have a great week and thanks for stopping by,
        Patti

        Reply

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