250 Summer Garden Tasks

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Okay, I have to admit right away. That title is a joke — a play on our Semiquincentennial. Can you imagine? While I’m sure someone could compile a list of 250 things to do in your garden in the heat of July, I do not recommend spending any more time than necessary in the garden this week. Instead we’ll go over a few key do's & don’ts that could have noticeable payoff down the road.

One worthy task to accomplish on your long weekend, if you have not already done so, is giving your Chrysanthemums a Chelsea Chop to prepare them for fall. Commercially grown Mums are pinched back regularly to maintain that classic uniform shape we see in Autumn. To prevent the dreaded “monster mum”, a splayed out plant with branches weighed down by blooms, you can trim the top ⅓ of the stem to control the height of the plant. This style of pruning is best done a few weeks earlier in the season, as the 4th of July serves as the final bell for several garden tasks.

Another thing to be mindful of is ceasing fertilization of your trees and shrubs for several weeks until temperatures cool down. If you continue to fertilize, you run the risk of plants pushing out tender new growth that could get damaged by winter weather. Annuals are good to fertilize regularly to keep your summer filled with blooms.

Those with grapes may want to pull out the netting this time of year as fruit begins to grow. Draping it loosely prevents any critters from getting too tangled up in it while saving your crops from foraging.

This month also brings with it the joy of berries. If you tend caneberries, be mindful of pruning fruiting canes post-harvest. The University of Tennessee Hort website remains a wealth of information for gardeners and farmers alike. Further information from selecting varieties to care and pruning is available through their resources.

That’s it for this week, friends. Tune in Saturday mornings at 8 am for Gardening Inside Out. Queue up the podcast for your next adventure. Follow our Instagram for behind-the-scenes fun and questions answered. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Happy Gardening,

Sara Bates

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