They’re called the Dog Days of Summer.
You know those sultry days with the hottest summer temperatures. The Romans associated the hot weather between July 24 and Aug. 24 with the star Sirius, which they considered to be the “Dog Star” because it’s the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog).
The Old Farmer’s Almanac uses slightly different dates, but the Dog Days of Summer are definitely here.
Recently, I moved to Bonny Doon where gardening in the hot, sandy soil is very different than the shady clay I was used to.
One thing I’ve noticed is the existing drip system has not been modified to allow for the growth of the plants. The emitters, which were originally placed at the base of each plant, are not even close to covering the current size of the root zone.
The crown of the plant is getting overwatered with each cycle, but the rest of the plant is bone dry. Time to add more emitters, maybe even downsizing to half-gallon ones and moving them away from the middle of the plant. No sense wasting water that’s not doing the plant much good.
As summer rolls along, you may become more aware of the different microclimates in your garden.
With the drier and hotter weather this year, some of your plants that used to get along just fine might be showing signs of stress. Taking note of these changes in the performance of your plants is what makes for a more successful landscape.
When the weather cools towards the end of September, you will want to move or eliminate those plants that aren’t thriving. Be sure to keep a thick layer of mulch on the soil around your plants to conserve that precious water you do allocate to each of your irrigation zones.
The drought may be affecting our garden, but it doesn’t have to stop us from being out in the garden. There are lots of things to do in the garden now.
The joy of gardening can take many forms, including adding wind chimes or adding a bird feeder or bird bath.
Take time to groom the plants that need some cleanup. Many perennials benefit from a little haircut at this time of year to extend their blooming into the fall season. Lavenders especially will keep their compact shape by a hard pruning now. This forces new growth in the center so the plant doesn’t get woody.
Deadhead flowering annuals and perennials as often as you can. Annuals like marigolds, petunias and cosmos will stop blooming if you allow them to go to seed. The same is true of repeat blooming perennials like dahlia, scabiosa, marguerites and lantana.
These plants know they’re on this earth to reproduce. If they get a chance to set seed, the show’s over — they’ve raised their family. Try to remove fading flowers regularly and you’ll be amply rewarded.
Fertilize shrubs lightly one last time in August or early September. All shrubs — especially broad-leaved evergreens such as rhododendron, pieris, camellia, hebe — need to calm down, stop growing, and harden off to get ready for the winter cold. Some plants have already set next year’s buds.
Roses especially appreciate a bit of fertilizer now, encouraging them to bloom another round in September and October.
To keep them blooming, make a habit of pinching and pruning off old flowers. Always cut back to an outward facing branchlet with five leaves. There are hormones there that will cause a new rose to grow much sooner than if you cut to one with only three leaves.
I grow mostly perennials, but I have to admit that I’m a big zinnia fan.
I remember one of my first gardens. Each year, I would plant different sizes and colors of zinnias, grouping them like a rainbow. Swallowtail butterflies loved them as much as I did. I spent many an afternoon, camera in hand, photographing them in action.
Kids and adults alike enjoy the wildlife that’s attracted to the garden. Be sure to take time to smell the roses as they say.
– Jan Nelson, a landscape designer and California certified nursery professional, will answer questions about gardening in the Santa Cruz Mountains. E-mail her at ja******@ao*.com, or visit www.jannelsonlandscapedesign.com to view past columns and pictures.
