Summer is hard on plants and it’s important that with the heat and the humidity that we up keep our gardens the best we can. Being that your plants will likely dry out from the heat of summer you should make sure your getting your plants the hydration that they need. There are many different options when it comes to watering your garden these days, but the most common is to set up an irrigation system that runs through your gardens, if you can connect a timer to help you. That way you don’t have to worry about going out and watering the garden or setting up the hose for the system to work. 
 
            Aside from watering the garden, you need to maintain the weeds that will be growing rapidly this time of year. Weeding can be a straining task without the correct tools, so make sure you have gloves and a waste bag to put the weeds into. You also can look into using a loop hoe. It is a really nifty tool that you can use to pull the weeds for you without having to kneel on the ground and strain your back. You can simply place the loop hoe on the ground and pull it towards you and it rips the weeds out from the root! We have done a tutorial on how the loop hoe works and have shown you how to properly use it! Click here to see our tutorial on You tube. 
 
            Another important duty that should be done throughout the summer months is called, “dead heading”. You want to remove any of the dead blooms from annuals & Perennials. This process prevents plants from producing seeds and rather puts their energy into the blooming process. While you are deadheading, you will also want to check your plants and flowers for insect damage or diseases. 
 
            If your plants are damaged by insects or diseases you will want to use the list that is included on Better Home and Gardens; Which includes, black spots, grasshoppers, powdery mildew, and rust. You can help to avoid damage to your plants while watering your plants and making sure you are only wetting the ground, not so much the leaves and flowers themselves. 
 
            While spring and summer are the best times to be enjoying the visual beauty of your garden, in order to keep it looking gorgeous you have to put in the work to be sure that your plants are getting what they need. 

The pruning of ornamental trees is done in order to enhance the natural branching patterns, to enable you to see the trunk, and reduce density of the tree. Some types of trees require very little, if any, pruning. While others, such as dogwood, cherry, and magnolia trees require more. The trickiest part of pruning, it seems, is knowing where to prune. A major rookie mistake is over-pruning.
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The first major step is first clean out. This is done by removing broken, diseased, and crossing branches. Next, selectively thin your branches which will open the tree up to light and circulation. Do not strip the tree clean but try to keep the interior transparent. Finally you can shape the branches by opening up views to the trunks and branches and lightly thinning.

With the items listed above , you are sure to be ready for gardening. The next step is getting the plants that you need. Deciding which plants will look best and flourish during the right season can be tough. Contact You Buy We Plant, we have over 40 years experience doing exactly that. Feel free to call with any questions.

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While planning for which plants to select for inside, you need to keep a few things in mind. Each plant is different and calls for a different amount of sunlight, temperature, and some have different watering requirements. Make sure you’re keeping this in mind as you pick the plants and place them around your home. Place your plants away from windows and doors to avoid the drafts coming in that could be detrimental to your plant’s health. You also should keep them away from any intense heat sources as well. The days are shorter in the winter and the suns comes in at a lower angle so be weary of plant placement to ensure that they are away from the stove and fireplace but also are getting light. 

Temperatures inside of your home should stay at about 60-70 degrees F.  When purchasing your plants be sure that the container provides adequate drainage holes. Smaller pots with adequate drainage holes could be inserted into ceramic containers or pots that do not have drainage holes. Plants, by nature, are meant to spread out and grow into the ground. During winter months they will be inside in pots so therefore you will need to be careful so that they do not become root bound. A root bound plant is literally a plant whose roots are “bound” by some kind of barrier. Eventually, the leaves will wilt, and then fall off. It will stop producing new leaves and eventually the plant will dry up. 

In order to prevent this, you will need to buy new containers that are about 1.5 larger than the temporary pots that the plants came in originally to allow the plant to grow so as not to become root bound in the container. Soil is a major ingredient while planning for your plantings, you need to be sure to do your research to see if your plants need to be in regular potting soil or if they need to be in special blended potting soil. 

When the plant looks crowded or you see that the roots are extending up to the soil level or through drainage holes you need to re-pot it. When transplanting to another container you need to be sure the container is the same depth as the last pot so the soil can dry out between each watering. If there is too much new soil under the existing roots, there is the possibility that the soil can become waterlogged thereby causing your plant to drown in it’s new pot.

Be sure to check your plant container soil every day to be sure it is not dry or powdery, if so be sure to water enough. When watering the container, apply enough water until you see water in the saucer under the container. That way you know you have watered completely.

Check out what You Buy We Plant is up to this winter by checking out our instagram and be sure to contact us with any questions.
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