Waterwise garden

Gardening with Limited Water

Learn the best ways to care for your plants during this drought. Either select the link from the top navigation above or follow this link to helpful information about using less water in your garden.

June in the Garden

Woodwardia fern and impatiens hiding in the shade

Checklist 

• Check drip irrigation system. Repair as needed.

• Deeply water squash, tomatoes, melons, and cucumbers.

• Water early in the day to minimize diseases and conserve water.

• Water shrubs and trees slowly and deeply at the drip line. Trees less than 1-2 years will need watering at7-10-day intervals.

• Keep Compost Pile as damp as a wrung-out sponge.

• Re-mulch trees; keep 6 inches away from trunk.

• Keep fertilizing roses; mulch to conserve water.

• Apply chelated iron to yellowing leaves with green veins.

• Give second feeding to camellias and azaleas.

• Monitor squash bugs on cole crops and squash.

• Use a strong blast of water or insecticidal soap for aphids.

• Check roses for rust; spray with fungicide according to label.

• Check for Saucer size brown patches in lawn that maybe web worm moths.

• Tie vines to trellises; stake tall bloomers (such as dahlias) before they topple.

• Dig and divide crowded bulbs; allow to dry before replanting.

Russian sage and yarrow (Perovskia atriplicifolia and Achillea millefolium)

• Plant warm weather annuals such as cosmos, globe amaranth, annual penstemon, portulaca, verbena, and zinnias.

• Plant heat tolerant perennials such as gaillardia, gentian, and rudbeckia. They will do well if properly watered until established.

Tomatoes

Vegetables & Herbs

• Start seeds in greenhouse or cold frame for Brussels sprouts.

• Directly seed cucumbers, corn, green bean sand• melons.

• Transplant seedlings or purchased plants of sage, basil, tomatoes, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, onions, celery, sweet potatoes, corn, beans and melons.

• Harvest onions. shallots, carrots, potatoes, chard, beets and early corn varieties

Crape Myrtle

Trees & Shrubs

• Observe summer performance of trees and shrubs that are of interest prior to the Fall planting season.