Hort Shorts
- Divide crowded daylilies to improve flowering and increase your stock. Lift clumps with a garden fork. Shake off dirt and look for natural divisions at the base of the leaf fans. Separate these with a sharp knife or spade. Trim foliage back by about two-thirds and replant individual clumps. You may wish to prune the roots some as well. Don’t fret about rough handling. Daylilies are very durable and resilient.
- To make lawns less susceptible to drought, heat, pests and disease, remove no more than one-third of the stems in a single mowing. If the lawn has become overgrown, mow over several days to return it to the desired height.
- Leave grass clippings on your lawn or use a mulching mower. They contain vital nutrients and moisture. Clippings are often blamed for thatch build-up, but research has disproved this. Over-fertilizing and letting grass become too tall between mowing are the major culprits.
- Before selecting trees and shrubs, learn the average height and spread at maturity and site them accordingly. This will save years of pruning and the tendency to butcher them when they encroach on streets, driveways, houses and utility lines.
- When cooking recipes with fresh garden herbs, use about three times the amount you would use of a dry quantity.
- Harvest cantaloupes when the fruit slips easily from the stem when tugged gently. Watermelons are ready if you hear a dull thud when you thump the skin.
- Too many mature cucumbers left on the vine will shut down production of the plant. Pick several times a week to ensure a continuous supply of cucumbers. The same is true of okra.
- When using a garden hose that has been sitting in the sun, run the water until it’s cool before watering plants.
- There’s still time to plant pole beans, squash, cucumbers, okra and other quick producers to invigorate a waning vegetable garden. Sow seeds of quick-flowering annuals like zinnias, sunflowers, marigolds and cosmos for continued color in beds.
- Check planted containers often to monitor soil moisture. Daily watering of plants in pots, especially small ones, may be necessary during hot weather. You may want to limit the number of pots to keep maintenance manageable.