Scorching summer temperatures are quick to turn your once colorful garden into a brown and rigid eye-sore. Give your green thumb a second chance with these tips to help your late-summer and early-fall garden come back strong:
Master the Art of Watering
During warm months, watering plants can be a balancing act, especially when peak temperatures roll into town. Overwatering can drown plant roots causing them to rot, while under-watering can dehydrate your plants. Research each plant’s water needs and map out a schedule. Using a pot with a drainage hole can be helpful for plants that need to drain completely after each watering.
Take Inventory of Your Time & Space
While you can’t control the weather, the secret to cultivating a thriving garden is to choose the right plants for your space and climate. Before you head to the store, assess the areas of your home you want to decorate with a touch of green. Does your space receive full sun or indirect sunlight? Do you live in a dry or humid region? Do you have two months of heat remaining, or are you knocking on the door of cold nights? Choose plants that need the amount of sunlight your space has throughout the day or relocate them to a new spot that will foster growth.
While you’re at it, determine the amount of time you have to dedicate to your garden to help you find the best type of plants for your lifestyle. If you’re always on the go, consider selecting plants that don’t require a lot of daily upkeep.
Seek Expert Advice
When in doubt, head to your local lawn and garden center. Your local lawn and garden professionals are equipped with the tips and tricks you need to keep plants alive and thriving in your region. Their expert advice can help you choose the flowers and plants best fit for your space and catch and treat potential pest and disease problems before they impact your growing garden.
Apply Problem-Solving Products
Pests and disease are quick to steal the life out of your favorite greenery. Spend some time researching common pests for your plants or talk to your local lawn and garden professional about the type of insects and disease that could potentially impact your garden. If you do come across any aphids, whiteflies or your plants start showing signs of common diseases such as fungus, use The AND Approach to find, solve and prevent.
Choose a Low-Maintenance Comeback
Starting over? By late summer, home improvement stores and nurseries will start clearing out all remaining summer plants to make room for fall and holiday items. Depending on where you live, this means you can expect to find clearance tags and bargains. You’ll likely catch a steal on popular bedding plants like annuals and herbs that you can pot now and bring inside this winter.
Here are our favorite low-maintenance plants that you can pot outside now, and move inside when the weather cools off:
- Herb Garden: Plant herbs such as basil, parsley, mint and rosemary in small pots now that you can move to a sunny kitchen window-sill later. They’re the perfect addition to a clean kitchen and garnish for your favorite drinks and dishes.
- Succulents: Known for low-maintenance qualities, succulents thrive on a less-frequent watering schedule and love well-drained roots. Be sure to give them some time in the shade when temperatures hit 90 degrees and designate a window to keep them happy when you bring them indoors.
