Say What?

July 2018

Pickaway to Garden

 

Say What?

 

By Paul Hang

 

What can we say about July? It is the first full month of summer. It was named after Julius Caesar who was born in the month. Although how his parents knew I have never figured out. It is the month we celebrate our independence and being an American. Upon reflection our being American is really having the good sense to pick our parents. July is the hottest month of the year, on average. It is also the month when most of the buds have formed for next year’s leaves, flowers and twig growth, It’s when, by the 4^th,, corn is supposed to be knee high but recent years have pretty much made that barometer obsolete. In July the year is half over. The July moon was called the Buck Moon by Native Americans probably because the deer were fat and the July sun was good for drying the meat.

 

July brings a dreamy time with long lazy days when it seems time stands still. But soon we will notice the days grow shorter. Summer has just begun but the growing season is well advanced. We will see the plants grow towards maturity. Saplings of trees and shrubs struggle to gain height. By the end of the month reality becomes hard to ignore.

We begin to think of the things we want to do before the summer flees.

 

After the frenzy of spring gardening chores summertime seems easy indeed.  By the end of the month we will have lost over a half hour of daylight and the dog days will begin. I hesitate to say it but we will also begin to experience hints of the coming fall

 

July is a month of blooms. Some of the plants in bloom we will see are: daisies, Black-eyed Susans, clover, milkweed, bee balm, day lilies, elderberry, evening primrose, mullein, jewelweed, hawkweed, Queen Anne’s lace, wild chicory, fleabane, vervain, just to name a lot. We haven’t mentioned vegetables ripening or nuts appearing on the trees and on TV. Golden rod and asters will soon come into bloom and support over 100 species of moths and butterflies as well as provide food for honeybees during the winter.

 

The color of July is yellow. Yellow is the color of pollen and honey.  Sunflower, Black and Brown Eyed Susan, Coreopsis, Cup Plant, squash blossoms, cinquefoils, the center of oxeye daisies, jewel weed and the ubiquitous Stella D’oro Day Lily are just a few of the flowers that show their warm colors.

 

Have questions? Call the Gardening Helpline 740-474-7534. To read a weekly discussion of problems facing those of us who “grow things,” check out bygl.osu.edu. Buckeye Yard and Garden Line (bygl) is a real education. Experts discuss what to do. It is updated weekly.

 

Things to do in the garden:

 

This is the time to dry herbs. The best flavor is had by harvesting just before they flower. Pick on a sunny dry day and in the morning. Tie them in small bundles with rubber bands. Hang them upside down in a hot, dry, dark, well ventilated spot in an attic, barn or shed. This is also the time to harvest garlic and hang them or lay them out to dry and cure. Harvest when leaves are turning yellow but there are still one or two green leaves.

 

The gardening season is in full swing. Weeding, deadheading and watering are high on the list of routine activities. If July turns out to be bone dry as usual, water the equivalent of one inch per week. Mulch to conserve moisture and keep down weeds. If you haven’t mulched yet do so after a soaking thunderstorm or a good watering. Vegetables higher in water content need more water e.g. watermelons, onions vs. green beans.

 

Keep your mower blades sharp; cut your grass long, 3-4 inches is ideal. If you use a pesticide for grubs you are also killing the ones that produce fireflies. Consider organic methods if you have a grub problem.  Kill Japanese beetle scouts before they let their comrades know about your garden. Brush them off into a cup of soapy water or alcohol (not Jim Beam). Repeatedly letting the lawn go dormant and reviving it by watering can kill the grass. Either keep watering or wait for Mother Nature to do it for you. Don’t forget to water your compost heap. It needs to remain moist for fast decomposition.

 

Going on vacation? Water well before you leave. Place container plants in a shady area. They should do fine for a week depending on the weather. If you will be gone longer have someone reliable come over and water regularly. Container plants in the hot sun may need watering daily.

 

If your grafted trees or roses are sprouting below the graft, cut the sprouts off.

Keep picking seed pods off the annuals and clipping spent flowers (deadheading) to encourage bloom all summer. Pinch back mums July 15^th for the last time.

 

Always read the labels on your plants for fertilization, however most woody plants have pretty much completed their growth and their buds for next year. So fertilizing trees and shrubs after early July is a waste of money and may harm the plant. Keep watering trees and shrubs planted in the past 2-3 years.

 

Consider planting a fall garden this month. Cool weather vegetables can be planted  this month to take advantage of the coming cool fall weather. Plants such as cabbage, broccoli, spinach, collards, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts (plant seeds now, seedlings by mid-month), kale, Swiss chard even beets and parsnips thrive in our fall weather. If it is hot and dry, consider starting your plants indoors (except for root crops). Acclimate them to the sun before putting them out in the garden.

 

Other vegetables that grow well in cool weather but should be planted a little later because they mature quickly and don’t do well in heat are: lettuce planted through August and September, carrots and radishes in September.  With a cover, when frost threatens, I have harvested fresh salad greens for Thanksgiving dinner. There are about 110 days before the average frost, veggies that have that many days to harvest can still be planted. Check the seed packet. There are also some other varieties of vegetables that can overwinter for harvesting in the spring.  Check varieties in seed catalogs or on-line. Order now.