The spring rains gave our gardens that lush green feeling, and now is the time to take a break, relax into a comfortable seat, and enjoy the lushness and bounty of the garden! Here are our top tips and tricks for Summer garden maintenance.
General Landscape Management
In general, summer is a great time to assess plant health in the garden, take notes about observed decline, and investigate mitigation strategies.
As needed, you can also weed and deadhead flowers – just be careful not to compact wet soil.
Irrigation Check Up
Don’t forget to check on your irrigation system as the weather begins to change. Now is a good time to flush valves, make repairs, and replace filters, as needed, in preparation for the more dry summer months.
o Turn on each valve to check for problems and make repairs.
o Seasonally adjust automatic irrigation schedule.
o Repair or replace broken heads.
o Run and check all axillary motors, valves, and emergency devices.
Late Summer: Meadow Maintenance
Summer is also the time to do some meadow maintenance! Cut back in late summer as needed for a new flush of growth next spring.
o Rake meadow to remove dead thatch and debris.
o Cut back mixed bunch grass meadows to 4-6” in height.
o Single-species meadows can be mowed with a lawn mower to 2” in height.
We hope this checklist helps you to feel more connected to your garden’s needs this spring season. Check back around the Autumn Equinox in September for a post about our Fall garden maintenance checklist! (You can also view our blog post about Spring garden maintenance here)
