It’s Not Too Late to Start Your Summer Garden
If you think you’ve waited too long to get your garden up and running this year, or if, like me, you live in a place where it rained nearly every day through the spring and into the end of June, there ‘s still hope for you. There are things you can plant right now and ways to work hard in your garden even if you missed out on those tomatoes and squash. Here’s how to create a late season garden you can still be proud of.
Herbs, vegetables and flowers that can be planted late
One of the fastest ways to get some greenery in a desert garden plot is to grow herbs. They can grow a variety of flavors and scents for you, and bees love their flowers. Dill , basil , rosemary , mint , and lavender can be planted in midsummer and are likely to still thrive. However, rosemary and lavender may take a little longer to ripen, so if you live in an area with low temperatures in the fall, you will need to start from the beginning and not from seed.
You may also want to consider planting late crops such as spinach , Brussels sprouts , and squash . Pumpkins and squashes will also grow later in the season and bear fruit until autumn. Be sure to check your hardiness zone by entering your location here and comparing it to the information on the seed packet to make sure the plants will survive fall in your climate zone.
For late bloomers that add color and attract pollinators to your garden, there are many varieties that will bloom if you plant them in July. Zinnias , mallows , red poppies , lantana and kosmeya will bloom if you plant them soon. If you don’t want to grow flowers from seed, hanging baskets are a great option with minimal effort : Fusias , begonias , and petunias thrive in hanging baskets during the summer months.
Water, cuttings and compost
The secret of how to accelerate the growth of late plants lies in watering. Make sure your plants get plenty of water in the evening or early morning, this will help them grow healthy roots and get water into the plant’s circulatory system before too much moisture evaporates. Most gardeners who live in areas where slugs can be a problem prefer to water early in the morning, but if you live in a very hot area, it’s best to water in the evening.
In order to get more out of your garden next year and prolong the flowering season of rose bushes, “pruning” or trimming flowers that have bloomed and are starting to lose their petals will give you more flowers. If you live in an area with a long warm season, you can get a second round of color from your rose bushes if you do, but you will almost certainly get more flowers next year if you tie your roses this year.
Another great way to prepare for next year is to build a compost pile. You can purchase a turntable or use a box and turn it over from time to time with a rake and shovel. Making your own compost now will mean you have rich free fertilizer to start next season and cut down on the amount you throw in the trash.