Keeping your garden looking its best in summer can be a challenge with the heat and humidity (or lack of!)—not to mention extra watering, weeding, and a whole new round of pests and plant diseases. What worked in spring to get your garden looking great probably needs some adjustments as the temperatures rise. Keep an eye out for plants that are stressed and see the tips below on how to help your plants survive the heat. How to Grow & Care for Coneflower What’s not to love about coneflowers? These easy-care perennials are heat tolerant and drought resistant, bloom for months, and make great cut flowers. Plus, pollinators can’t resist them. So what are you waiting for? Learn more about coneflowers and add them to your garden. Pictured: Lakota™ Fire coneflower. Photo by: Proven Winners. While many of us discovered the healing effects of gardens and gardening over the past year, homeowner Sue Ingraham has known it for years. When she was faced with the challenge of helping her husband recover at home, she decided to create a beautiful garden for him to recover in. Come take a season-by-season stroll with us through this garden and discover the life lessons that came along with it. "By working in the garden, I was able to focus on creating something beautiful, and at the same time, it allowed me to stay close to home." —Sue Ingraham. Escape the heat by "travelling" the world with the virtual tour company, HeyGo. You can cruise the Seine River in Paris, wander through a medieval market town in the Cotswolds, UK, or take a hummingbird and orchid tour in the Ecuadorian highlands (pictured) all hosted by local guides. It’s free to sign up and take part in the tours, and if you enjoy your time, there’s an opportunity at the end to leave a tip for your guide. HeyGo will be promoting botanical gardens in the month of July, so let your favorite garden know about this exciting opportunity to share their garden with the world by offering virtual tours—and make a little money along the way! 13 Tips for Watering in Summer We can all use a little extra hydration when it’s hot, and plants are certainly no exception. Are you watering yours correctly? At the right time? Often enough? Maybe too often? Check out these 13 tips that will help you make sure your plants make it through the heat happy and healthy. Although heat isn’t generally a concern for succulents, heat plus sun can be deadly for many smooth-leaved succulents. Learn how to identify sunburn and care for your succulents in the summer, straight from the Queen of Succulents herself, Debra Lee Baldwin. How to Set Up Your Containers on a Drip System Regular watering plays a huge role in the success of container plantings. Because the soil in containers dries out faster than in the ground, plants growing in pots will require more frequent watering than those planted in beds or borders. Make your life easier and have beautiful, healthy containers by installing drip irrigation—Laura shows you how! Buy Waterwise Container Watering Kits and accessories from Proven Winners. How to Get Rid of Powdery Mildew If you’re not sure what to do when powdery mildew strikes (and it will!), we’re here to help. Learn what steps you can take to treat and prevent outbreaks, plus which plants are more susceptible than others. Tip: Using drip irrigation (like the one shown above) can greatly reduce the risk of a powdery mildew infestation. Here are 8 tips to help you & your plants survive the summer sun: Happy Gardening! Did you enjoy this newsletter? Forward it to a friend Not currently receiving this weekly newsletter? Subscribe here! No images? Click here for a web version of this email. |