Perennial Garden Summer Fix-Ups

As we go into the month of August, many find that their perennial gardens need a boost. Maybe you discover that most of the plants are spring-bloomers and you have little in bloom going into August. Or perhaps the hot, dry conditions have taken their toll and some of your plants have withered or browned. Even if your garden is in pretty good shape it’s likely that a little TLC is needed to keep things looking good into the fall.

Here’s a list of perennial garden fix-ups, and some photos for clarification and inspiration. As you look at your own perennials, remember that all of your garden tweaks and tasks don’t have to be done at one time, especially when the weather is hot. Sometimes working for 20 or 30 minutes early in the morning, and then stopping for the day, is the best way to approach it.

• Pull weeds. Crabgrass, purslane and other hot-weather weeds spring up overnight. Keep pulling them. Note that a one or two inch layer of mulch helps to keep weeds under control. You can apply it now, or remember to mulch in May next summer.
• Deadhead flowers that have finished. For some plants this means cutting them in half, and for others, like daylilies, it means removing the entire finished flower stalk.
• Look for heat and drought damage. Some perennials may have dried up once too often, and are no longer an asset in the garden. If this is the case, and the plant has mostly shut down for the season, cut the stems down to about 2″ from the ground. The plant should be back next year unless the roots were too dry to support life.
• Continue to plant! If you’ve got open areas, there are many large, waiting to bloom perennials in our perennial section that will add color now and for years to come. Consider the dark-foliaged hardy hibiscus, for example. They have leaf color and large, showy flowers in the late summer.
• Add an ornament. Sometimes an object that draws the eye and adds instant color to the garden is the way to improve a fading perennial garden. Consider a colorful birdbath, tin animal, or garden statue.