In the Garden thoughts from the garden By ray mikula At this time our gardens should be producing tomatoes, beans, squash, and peppers. As summer winds down it may seem that our gardening is coming to a close and there's not much left to do at summer's end. But vegetable gardens can continue to produce well into the Fall. A second planting of beans will easily come to fruition and cool season vegetables can be planted at the end of the month, such as peas, lettuce, radishes, cauliflower and cabbage.
rejuvenated. Irises need to be dug out every four years, separated, cleaned, and their soil needs to be nourished with compost. Similarly, daffodils and gladiolus can be dug and separated after several years so they have more room to grow. Different shrubs and trees will need pruning and weeds in the garden are always needing attention.
Lawns that have been scorched by summers heat can be over seeded during the last week of August so the seeds have the warmth they need to germinate and begin to grow as the temperatures begin to cool in September. Fall is also a perfect time to fertilize your lawn. At this time of year the energy will go to the roots making them deeper and fuller allowing your lawn to better withstand drought the following year.
love to help work along side their parents or grandparents and they will learn skills that will last a lifetime. My grandson has planted winter pansies for me and pumpkins the past two years. He is only four and sometimes it's a little more work for me, but he gets a real kick out of it. I got started in gardening when I was 6 years old working outside with my parents. I learned about flower gardens, vegetable gardens and lawn care as a child and I'm still learning. At age 61 I took the Master Gardener Course at the Stafford
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If you need company in the garden don't forget to introduce the young ones in the family to help out. Kids
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County Extension office. As a Master Gardener we learn more each year. You can too. This year the Stafford Extension Office will be offering the Master Gardener course starting in September. Contact them at vcestafford.helpdesk@gmail.com or call at (540) 658-8000. If you are interested in becoming a Master Gardener.
pollinators in droves. Roses are blooming along with many other perennials. Shrubs like hydrangeas, crape myrtle, and Rose of Sharon are also in bloom. Cut some of these and bring them in as cut flowers to enjoy. They can brighten the inside of your home as well as the outside. Till the next time, Happy Gardening.
With all the work there is still left to be done, don't forget to enjoy the beauty of all your labor. Those annuals you planted early in the season are at their peak bloom now attracting
RayMikula is a Master Gardener.He has several acres of garden space & has been gardening for 62 years. Before retiring Ray was a Earth Science & Astronomy Teacher Photos by Ray
