OH…sweet summer!  The grass is that plant which must be tended regularly as long as we have rain. The summer flowers are divine…their fragrances are that glorious summer aroma!  The peonies and the poppies are gone as are the iris, and the early Bee Balm. Now come the riotous Stella and the other lilies, the zinnias and favorite annuals, and the intensely sweet perfume of the Sweet Peas, in jewel tones and pastels climbing up fences and trellises. If you haven’t tried out the Sweet Pea experience, here are a couple of hints…The sweet pea plant sends out curly tendrils to latch onto something stable as support; Gardeners in the cooler climates usually plant them in Mid-March for a June or July floral display.

For the gardener who wants to try Dahlias…Plant them when you would tomato. The soil should be between 60 and 65 degrees. Water wisely (overwatering is the number one cause of death.) Know your environment. Test your soil to see what to add or consider planting them in raised bed or big pots. Avoid fertilized potting soil (it will fry a tuber). Don’t add fertilizer until plants have started growing. 

For bountiful butterflies, plant Lantana (annual in our region). Once established, Lantana needs little water. It will also thrive in less-than-ideal soil. Lantana is an excellent choice for container plantings, too. Especially for our region as the pots can easily be moved indoors for the winter. Feed it liquid fertilizer once a month during the growing season. Too much fertilizer will result in beautiful leaves and few flowers. Lantana likes to spread. Look for meandering branches from the parent plant that are touching the soil. These branches will have rooted themselves, so gently cut them from the plant and dig out the roots with a small shovel, keeping the dirt intact around them. Transfer the cutting where you’d like to see more of Lantana’s flowers. You can plant Lantana just about anywhere. Remember to water your plants frequently if they are in pots as the water evaporates quickly. Check them daily. You may want to use water-retaining crystals to help keep your soil from drying out. Other plants for pots that attract butterflies are bright pin pentas, red salvias, old fashioned purple heliotrope, cascading pink petunias, and snapdragons.

If you happen to notice a group of butterflies clustering around puddles of water or damp places in your yard or flower beds, they are “puddling,”  gathering concentrations of minerals left by evaporating water. Almost all butterflies that puddle are males because they need the extra sodium for mating. 

The green beans are ready to pick, the lettuce will be soon, then the peppers. I noticed the corn is tasseling so it will be ready for the Corn Boil on the 18th. Hope to see you there…

Hope you are enjoying your garden this year!