Summer Garden Jobs for you…..

I sincerely hope that all of you, who like me, attempted to grow courgettes this year and are having a ball picking them by the dozens. I never thought they would be such a successful veg and I am definitely growing those again. If you haven’t gotten yourself a plant or a packet of seeds,  put it on your list of “garden-related” things to do.

And while we are on the never-ending list of things, there are a few more points that need attention now. I try to put an hour a day into my garden any day I am at work. One hour is not much, but it will make a difference if done every day, and it also is a way of chilling after a hectic day.

So starting with the most pressing summer garden jobs in my opinion:

1. Deadheading Roses

Make sure to stay on top of deadheading your roses. Stunning blooms die off so fast right now it may seem like a blink of an eye. So take a quick stroll around your roses three times a week and cut away on all wilted blooms. There is still plenty of growing time, so by deadheading, you will encourage more flowers.

2. Early Flowering Perennials

Cut down the rest of the early flowering perennials. Nepetas and salvias should now have fresh growth ready for the second flush. Pinch away dead heads of bedding plants, cosmos, osteospermums, leucanthemums, heleniums, and dahlias.

3.  Lifting Tulip Bulbs

If you want, now is the time to lift all the tulip bulbs you planted last year. Prepare a dry, dark spot and lay the bulbs on cardboard. They will wait until September for another planting season.

4. Planning Spring Bulbs

Start planning for additional spring bulbs, the biggest choice is always at the beginning of the season, so August/ September. Have a look at some catalogues or online for what might work well in your garden and put it all on the list. When you hit the shops next month you will have it all organised.

5.  Weeding

I am not a huge fan of too much weeding, but a bit needs to be done, even in my own garden. Daisy Grabber in hand and off I go for a quick session. The gravel driveway is full of my “favourite” travelling buttercup at the moment. I also pick some off of the vegetable plot, just to keep it nice and tidy.

6. Watering

Watering is still going on, even though we had some rain now. Trees that were planted this year still need that special TLC, and any other plants that have been planted recently. Poly tunnels have to be kept moist at all times also.

7.  Supporting Tall Plants 

Making sure all tall plants are now supported and safe from tumbling over is the last thing on my “quick” list. Thalictrum is almost ready to open and so I would hate to lose it. Same with holyhocks and fennel, which are now taller than the walls of my house. And Anabelle has come up trumps this year with multiple heads, so I am minding her too.

This is probably the lot I try and do during the week. Those are all quick and small jobs, but they all need doing if we are to stay on top of things.

I read about a lady, who invented this technique to keep her house clean, and I thought it can just as well be adapted to the garden. So few months on, and I can say it is working.

Bigger jobs I leave for my days off or for some time in the future. Because I also like to just sit and relax and admire the peaceful beauty of my garden. I hope ye do the same.

Thank you,

Magda O’ Byrne

All pictures were taken by my sister, who is as much obsessed with flying little creatures as I am.