Put All Your Ducks in a Row

Despite the unseasonably warm, dry weather, that mid-summer lull is upon us. It’s time to put your ducks in a row and start that initial check-list before snow flies.

1) Fertilize your perennial garden. Now is the time to recharge your plants. After a long, hard growing season, you want to give them an extra boost to store enough food for surviving the upcoming winter. In the course of a growing season, herbaceous plant material goes through a lot of nutrients.
2) Deadhead the flower beds. Remove any diseased plant material and always properly dispose in a bag, not in your compost bin.
3) Can your fruits and vegetables. If your freezer is at explode-overload like ours, the canning option keeps that summer freshness for those cold days that lie ahead. It’s a bit more time consuming but don’t forget these jars can make extra stocking stuffers during the holidays.
4) And last but not least, don’t forget to water. If your plants look tired and parched, supplementary irrigation is critical. Even many drought-tolerant plants are suffering in this heat. So don’t ignore the signs of moisture-stress. The weather typically moderates around the end of September. Help bridge the late summer gap and keep your plants healthy.

Today’s inspirational thought is brought to you by Michael Caine. “Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.” That’s the life of a gardener in a nutshell.

Duck Photo by Caitlan Davis, taken at Mont Royal, Montreal. For her first clicks, without any knowledge of the equipment, Cait did an amazing job. She has a natural eye with the camera.