What's Happening in the Garden?
July 2025
Certainly, there are some tasks better timed to one month or another, but there are basics that should be attended to throughout the growing season. Chief among these are watering, weeding, and feeding.
Deep, consistent watering is truly a key to a good garden.
During these hot months plants are working hard to turn the sun's rays into nourishment that can then be transformed into the production of fruits and flowers for us, and seeds for their future propagation. This is not easy work and every step of the process depends on a steady supply of water. Each time you forget to water until things look saggy and sad, the plant becomes stressed. Under stress the plant shuts down production to utilize all its resources for survival. It also weakens the plants defenses to insects and diseases that attack with vengeance.
Regular weeding is also a necessity for plants to thrive. Every weed is a voracious competitor for the moisture, nutrients, and airflow so needed by your plants to thrive. Try to get into the habit of plucking 5 weeds every time you're meandering through the garden. There will of course be those days where you dig in (pun intended) and weed some large area, but plugging away at them every time you're outside, plays an important role.
In the "Little Shop of Horrors" Audrey, the man-eating plant, was always saying "Feed me Seymour, feed me!!" You may not hear them, but your plants are saying the same thing!! Just like the daily watering and weeding, you can add feeding to your everyday list of chores. I carry around a bucket of compost and dole out a scoop of it in each area of the yard as I go through the week. By the time the weekend arrives, I'm ready to start another round. Think of it as healthy snacks for your plants!
One last suggested task would be supporting the growth of your summer plants. Veggies like tomatoes, cucumbers, squash etc., often grow at a rapid pace during the hot months and they will need things like trellises, arbors, and cages, to keep them from toppling over and breaking apart. My indeterminate tomatoes are 9+ feet tall and strapped to the fence!
