No doubt about it, the summer planting season has arrived! Here are some helpful tips to keep everything in your gardening world in ship-shape condition for months of enjoyment…
It’s time to show some support for your growing tomato plants! When full of fruits, they’ll need strong, sturdy, upright support from wooden stakes or tomato cages. If you use tomato cages, be sure to place them around the plants before they get too big. Doing this now will avoid later damage to the leaves. If you choose to stake them, use twist ties or sisal to secure the tomato to the stake. Fences can also be used.
If you haven’t already, give your houseplants an outside summer vacation. Find a shady spot and let them enjoy some fresh air. They will also benefit from a summer feeding of a houseplant fertilizer. Be sure to read and follow all label directions.
Ready, set… go harvest spring veggies! Radishes, spinach, broccoli rabe and other cool season crops should be picked when ready. Are you growing leaf lettuces? Enjoy their outer leaves, while allowing the core to continue to produce more leaves until the heat of summer arrives.
Can’t stand the ratty yellow leaves from your spent spring flowering bulbs? You can remove the yellowing foliage six weeks after flowering. At that point, leaves will have manufactured and stored the needed food for spring 2021 blooms.
Want to carve out some fun this fall? Then it’s time to plant pumpkin seeds in the sun-loving garden. Jack-o-Lantern season will be here before you know it!
Red thread, a lawn fungus, is appearing in home lawns on Long Island. It occurs during warm (60-70 degrees F), humid, moist weather in spring and fall. How do you know if red thread is bothering your lawn? Look for brown areas that can appear as water-soaked patches, measuring an inch or more in diameter. The easiest way to tell is to kneel and inspect the grass blades. If you see ‘red threads’ protruding, it’s time to treat with a recommended fungicide.