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| 'Ingrid Bergman' hybrid tea rose--one of the best reds! |
It’s June, and although the warm, dry weather feels more like late July, summer is only just begun. By now, your garden is likely planted, your flowers are growing and you’re beginning to see the fruits of your labors as plants do what they do best: look beautiful! With the new season upon us, here are a few tips to keeping your garden looking its best and a couple of plants sure to give you added color throughout the coming months.
Rose bushes are one of the most beautiful shrubs you can
choose for your garden. With summer-long color, powerful fragrances, and the
romance of a fresh-cut bouquet, they’re unmatched in beauty. But like all
treasures, roses come at a price—insects love them and diseases like black spot
and powdery mildew are ever-present foes.
Minimize the cost of beautiful roses this summer by applying
Bayer Rose & Flower Care now and every six weeks through the growing
season. This liquid systemic fertilizer, insecticide, and disease control is a
superior no-spray product that will take the effort out of growing roses and
give you healthy, productive plants all season long.
As we get into summer, routines change, but as far as your
yard is concerned, it’s business as usual—and I’m guessing your lawn might be
hungry by now. Chances are, a couple of months ago, you fed the lawn for spring
and enjoyed a nice green-up. But now, as we get into summer, it’s important to
feed once again. Remember, Scotts Turf Builder with Moss Control is a great
fertilizer for greening up the lawn without encouraging too much growth (read:
mowing!). Or, if your lawn would benefit from added nitrogen, Scotts Turf
Builder will satisfy your lawn’s hunger with the additional benefit of
micronutrients not found in generic lawn fertilizers.
If your lawn is patchy or thin in spots, now is also a great
time to overseed those areas. Rake through the bare or thin areas to gently
loosen the soil, then spread some grass seed and starter fertilizer and cover
with a light layer of crumbled peat moss. Keep it watered regularly to
encourage germination—with our warm soil temperatures, you should see seeds
sprouting in about a week.
Now, maybe you’re still in planting mode—sure, spring was
early this year, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to plant! If you’re still
looking to fill some planters or add a splash or two of
color around the yard, there are plenty of options. One flower you simply can’t
go wrong with is the trusty geranium. But just because it’s a dependable, old
stand-by, doesn’t mean it can’t be exciting.
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| 'Tango Orange' geraniums in mass planting with marigolds at the nursery |
Two of my favorite varieties I’ve come across over the last
several years are sure to provide color and interest in your garden. ‘Tango
Orange’ is about as true an orange as you’ll find in geraniums—a beautiful
shade that will have your neighbors talking. ‘Calliope Dark Red’ has large,
deep crimson flowers and a semi-trailing growing habit, making it a great
modern replacement for messy, old-fashioned ivy geraniums.
Another flower great for filling those last spaces in the
garden is calibrachoa. Now, you’ve seen this plant used in hanging baskets and
planters for years, but have you ever tried it in the garden? As a garden
plant, calibrachoa (also known as ‘million bells’) makes a nice groundcover,
each plant spreading out to about 18 inches.
Finally, enjoy. Gardening is meant to be fun, and if you
make it all about work, you’ve missed the point. Take some time each week to
simply admire. Your garden is a beautiful place; don’t miss out!
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