OLD LYME — Watering is so important during the heat of summer. If you planted trees or shrubs this spring, particularly evergreens, these plants require extra moisture to establish a strong root system. We have had an abundant amount of rain this spring and into the summer, however it is important to keep an eye on the weather.  

Here in New England, plants require at least an inch of water per week. If you are using a regular hose, you lose 40 percent of moisture to evaporation. However, a hose is necessary for a deep-watering when a plant goes into the ground and for containers.

Soaker hoses in your borders are the best method of watering, attached to a house spigot with a timer. By using this method of irrigation, moisture goes to the roots of plants where it is needed and not on the foliage, which can cause diseases such as black spot and powdery mildew. Soaker hoses attached to a timer can be used efficiently not only in the borders of the garden but also in the vegetable garden, where annual vegetables require a lot of water to produce a good crop. 

In addition, composted manure when added to the containers together with copious amounts to the vegetable garden, helps to retain a good amount of moisture. Manure, used as mulch for the vegetable garden adds more nutrition and the manure as mulch does not cap or form a hard crust, so water goes directly to the roots where it is needed. 

LAWNS – water the lawn only when the green glow begins to fade.  An established lawn will bounce back following dry hot spells. 

I want to emphasize the importance of soil and soil health, which has been severely neglected and abused with poisonous chemicals for years. Soil is the most important element of plant growth; it is not an inert medium that merely holds the plants erect, it is a living organism that needs to be replenished with nutrients. The nutrient is composted manure; manure builds soil structure and together with its bacteria partners joins the millions of microbes below the surface to produce nutrients for the roots of the plants.

If you have not already done so, I strongly suggest that you carefully discard all chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.

The addition of composted manure to your soil in spring, early summer and in early fall, together with natural brown bark mulch, builds the carbon compound or humus component in the soil.  We are all carbon-based creatures, as is every living element — carbon is our lifeblood and the lifeblood of the soil in our gardens.

As we build the humus component by adding composted manure and fine-bark mulch we are producing the healthiest possible growing environment and the strongest disease-resistant plants. As we add the composted manure and natural fine bark mulch season after season, the humus component continues to build in the soil, continuously extracting carbon from the atmosphere into the soil. 

ROSES – flourish beautifully with the addition of composted manure and mulch, applied on the soil about two feet away from the base of the plant. Roses also require deep watering at least once a week. Now, in July add another light layer of composted manure around the roses. Manure is food for the roots of the roses and no other products are necessary for growth and bloom. Stop adding manure to the roses in mid-August, so that they can gradually move into a slow dormancy through late summer and early fall, which is a natural part of their growth cycle.    

If you are a first-time rose-grower or adding to your rose collection, David Austin English roses are my personal preference.  The David Austin nursery is only 21 miles from my hometown in Shropshire in England; it was a fragrant pleasure to visit the nursery in June. 

David Austin roses are more trouble-free than many other roses and are repeat bloomers, with beautiful colors that enhance our senses together with delicious fragrances.    

Some of my favorite David Austin roses are:
> A Shropshire Lad, a peachy pink
> Abraham Darby, shades of apricot and yellow
> Evelyn (my favorite) with giant apricot-hued flowers
> Fair Bianca, a pure white rose
> Heritage, a soft blush pink
> Carding Mill Valley, which begins as a peachy orange double flower, changing to an apricot-pink

A lovely combination to enjoy are climbing roses and clematis planted together since both enjoy the same planting environment with their heads in the sun and their feet (roots) in the cool manure and mulch. This combination looks great, climbing over a fence, wall or arbor.

MULCH – do not use the artificially-colored red mulch, rubber mulch or cocoa mulch; use only natural brown bark mulch. Do not mulch right up to the base of the plants, as this invites rodents to nest and gnaw on the stems or trunks of the plants.

Note: Do not use Cocoa mulch, produced by Hershey, this mulch has a Thorazine compound and other poisons, which are hazardous to pets that are attracted by the chocolate odor. Ingestion of this chocolate mulch can cause seizures and death within hours.  

HYDRANGEAS:  Plant Hydrangeas in a sunny area if you live near the coast, which allows them to enjoy gentle seas breezes. Away from the coast, plant Hydrangeas in part-sun on the west or east aspect of the garden. Plant them in organically rich soil with composted manure and add extra composted manure around the base now in July. 

If you have the blue Macrophylla Hydrangea, add some peat or aged oak bark around the base as the acidity in the peat or oak bark encourages a deeper blue color. Hydrangeas are a wetland plant and require plenty of water throughout the summer. We had a late spring and with all the spring and early summer rain and good sunshine, the foliage and bloom of the hydrangeas is performing well. Watch out for powdery mildew and spray with the following powdery mildew recipe you can mix yourself:

Two tablespoons baking soda, one dessert spoon of vegetable oil, a squirt of dish soap with a gallon of water in a sprayer. For any recipe spray you make at home, spray only in the morning when there is no wind and when the temperature and humidity added together do not go above 180. 

Pruning Hydrangeas – Prune Hydrangeas immediately after they finish blooming in late August or early September but no later, as Hydrangeas set their buds for the next season by mid September. If you prune after September, you will lose next season’s bloom. When you prune, cut out some of the old wood and the weakest of the new shoots. In October put more composted manure and brown mulch around the base to nourish and protect the roots through the winter. 

Did you know that garlic is the antibiotic of the garden? I love garlic to use in my recipes and it is an important anti-fungal element to protect your plants and I suggest planting more garlic in early fall. 

To avoid fungal diseases plant garlic around strawberries, tomatoes and raspberries to avoid fungal diseases. 

Plant garlic:
> around mildew-prone plants to prevent mildew on such plants as summer phlox and bee balm.
> under fruit trees to avoid scab and root disease.
> next to ponds or standing water to control mosquito larvae or pour garlic water into the water to deter adult mosquitoes. 

Where you notice marauders have been munching, like insects or animals, make a garlic spray to apply on the plants including vegetables. 

GARLIC SPRAY RECIPE

4 large, crushed garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
1 squirt of mild dish detergent

Put all ingredients in 2 cups of hot water in the blender, blend, then leave overnight, then put in a gallon sprayer with cold water and spray in the early morning when there is no wind, observing the rule of 180.  Observing the rule of 180 is when the temperature and humidity when added together do not go above 180.

HOT PEPPER SPRAY RECIPE

To deter squirrels and chipmunks try a hot pepper spray using either four hot chilies or one cup of cayenne pepper in two cups of hot water, in the blender, blend and leave overnight then put in a gallon sprayer with cold water and spray the problem areas in the early morning.

This pepper spray works well to deter squirrels, chipmunks, deer as well as dogs and cats that may be leaving their deposits in the garden. 

HANDS: Gardener’s hands are their tools of the trade so it’s important to take care of them. My hands remain healthy by indulging in a hot cream treatment once a week before bed. 

Hot Hand Cream Recipe:
Combine Calendula cream with honey and essential oil of lavender heated in the microwave, apply generously and put on white cotton gloves for sleep. When I wake up my hands are soft and smooth as you can only imagine. Wear gloves, when working in soil that contains manure or when spreading manure. Manure is an organic product that contains bacteria; bacteria is great for the soil but like many bacteria not healthy for you. The garden gloves I prefer are the soft leather farmer’s gloves that are washable.  

FLAVORED OILS – Many herbs are at their peak right now and are ideal for using in flavored oils. The oil I use as a base is organic olive oil. I harvest basil, parsley, sage, tarragon and oregano in a morning, rinse them well, pat them dry with a paper towel and then make the recipe. Then choose an herb and add to two cups of oil.  

For thyme and lavender, I use only the flowers with one cup of oil to a handful of blossoms.  

Puree the herb mixture in a blender and store covered in a wide mouthed jar for three days, shake at least three times a day for the first two days and on the third day let the mixture settle to the bottom, then strain it through a paper coffee filter or cheese cloth into a clean jar.  You will now have a tinted but clear mixture.  

Refrigerate each mixture and use within two to three weeks. The herb oils I make are lavender, lemon, garlic, shallots and basil with olive oil as the base – these are my favorites and are great brushed on vegetables and meats for grilling. The lavender oil is great with desserts. Rosemary and lemon oil taste excellent on salads. 

MOLES & JAPANESE BEETLES: I know I have given you a few mole remedies in the past; but I have not given you the exlax method for a while. I can attest to the fact that I have used this method as have many fellow gardeners for years, as it works well.  Buy Exlax, the main ingredient of which is Senna, a natural herb. Insert Exlax into the mole holes, the moles and voles eat it, then die of dehydration.  

If you have dogs and cats, do not use the chocolate Exlax only the plain Exlax, as chocolate is dangerous to pets.  

In early April of next year, apply organic grub control, which means less grubs for the moles to feed on, and without their supply of grubs, the moles will go elsewhere for food. In addition, the white grubs of Japanese beetles can be diminished with the grub control.  

Japanese beetles love our plants and here is a method to deal with them naturally. In the early morning, the Japanese beetles are drowsy and can be captured. Lay a drop cloth under the plant or plants where you see them and gently shake the plant; the drowsy beetles will drop onto the cloth, which you gather up and drop them in a garbage bag and discard.   

Many of us are committed to organic gardening without chemicals, which has enabled the earthworm population to once again increase; earthworms are a great boon to the garden soil as their castings add 50 percent nutrition to the soil together with 11 trace minerals.  

SUMMER PHLOX – I just love my summer phlox and to keep the mildew problems at bay, I use the natural baking soda mix I mentioned above. I have found that white Phlox Miss Lingard or white Phlox David are more resistant to mildew than other summer phlox. Monarda, commonly known, as Bee Balm and Hydrangeas are also prone to be affected by powdery mildew, and this is where the baking soda recipe once again can be used.  

For a second bloom on the Summer Phlox, prune off 10 to 20 inches from the flower stems after the first bloom has gone by and within a few weeks you will experience a new bloom. 

KEEP YOUR GARDEN CLEAN – a healthy garden is a clean garden. Do not put any diseased items into your compost. 

Deadhead all annuals and perennials for a second bloom and clean up all spend blossoms.  

When Coreopsis and Spirea have bloomed, use garden shears to shear off dead flowers and they too will rebloom.

CONTAINERS – Make sure you have composted manure and fine bark mulch applied on top of the soil in your containers and keep them watered as containers dry out quicker than garden soil. In hot weather the containers will need to be watered daily, morning and evening watering is the best. If you do not have time in the morning before you leave for work or errands, empty your ice cube trays on the containers; this provides slow-release watering until you can get to them later.  

Enjoy being in the garden, stay hydrated, continue to stretch and take time to ‘smell the Roses’.

If you have any gardening questions, please email me at MaureenHaseleyJones@gmail.com and I’ll see you in your garden in August.

Also if you would like a garden consultation, contact my son Ian at LandscapesByIan.com. He has a brilliant gardening mind and, if I might say (yes, perhaps slightly tongue in cheek!), ‘The apple does not fall far from the tree.’

About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey. 

We have had a few cool nights recently, which is just wonderful since I can sleep with the windows open — at least when the smoke from Canada blows away!  I cannot remember the last time we had a real spring like we are experiencing this year, with plenty of gentle rain. This beneficial rain is wonderful for all the spring plant growth and such a pleasure.  

I am so in awe of the miracle of Mother Nature; the symbiotic relationship between plants and all of God’s creatures.  As I looked out of the window from my old home a few years ago, I could see the buds opening on my long border of Peonies, which had been planted by the original homeowner in the early 1900s.  As I looked, I was reminded of the special relationship between ants and peonies. 

A question often asked of me is “Maureen, should I worry about ants on my peonies?”

My answer, “That’s not a problem, lots of ants on the peonies just demonstrate that you have healthy plants with big buds producing bountiful nectar, which attracts the ants”. By the way, ants are very useful creatures; their presence indicates that there are aphids and whiteflies in the area and ants feed on these troublesome insects. 

Please ensure that Peonies get plenty of water and check the pH of the soil, which should register between 6.5 and 7.0. In early June, I pinched off the side buds on the peonies, as by doing this, it ensures big terminal blooms on the plant. When the bloom has past, apply a light application of composted manure to encourage the soil animals and the manure bacteria to keep the soil healthy.

Do not cut the peonies down to about six inches until after the first frost in November. In September, plant or transplant Peonies and in the process barely cover the pink eyes on the roots with soil, just enough so the plant does not fall over.

Beginning in spring, many insect pests appear in the garden; a useful creature against the pests is the lowly toad. I suggest putting some toad houses in and around your borders. You can purchase toad houses from the garden center if you wish. Or you can do as I do, which is to use an old clay pot that is cracked and make sure that the crack is two to four inches wide for a door so the toad can enter. Also put a small saucer as a floor under the pot with some rocks, and keep the rocks damp, so that your friendly bad-bug eater has his or her ideal home environment and will snack on hundreds of pesky bugs.

MULCH:

Mulch your gardens this month when the ground has warmed up to 55 degrees.  When mulching, be careful mulching around trees. Apply the mulch at least six inches from the base of the trunk — any closer can cause rot and disease in the bark and roots of the tree.  Also, trees that are mulched too close to the trunk invite mice and other rodents to come nest and gnaw on the trunk. Your garden can be mulched to a depth of between two and three inches and I use natural fine dark brown hardwood mulch. Please do not use dyed red mulch, which is poisonous. Keep your garden natural, herbicide and pesticide free.

June is the month when Roses begin to bloom.  I prefer to use David Austin roses in my garden and in my designs. I find that David Austin roses are the most-trouble free Roses and offer great rewards, being repeat bloomers with wonderful fragrances and colors.  

Some of my favorite David Austin roses are: 
‘A Shropshire Lad’, a soft peachy pink.
‘Abraham Darby’ with blooms producing petals that are a blend of apricot and yellow. 
‘Fair Bianca’ a pure white.
‘Heritage’ a soft clear pink. 

And my absolute favorite is ‘Evelyn’. Evelyn has a large apricot saucer shaped bloom with a fragrance that is second to none offering a luscious, fruity tone that reminds me of fresh peaches and apricots.  

Feed your roses with composted manure, keeping the manure and mulch about six inches away from the base of the rose and adding a few more inches of manure once a month until mid- August.  At that time stop feeding so the roses can gently move into a much-needed slow dormancy. You do not need any other Rose food except the manure and, of course, the mulch, which attracts carbon from the atmosphere to produce the humus component.

Japanese Beetles are attracted to roses, therefore; Japanese Beetle traps should be placed far away from your borders on the perimeter of the property. 

A tip for keeping cut roses fresh: cut the roses in the early morning, cutting just above a five-leaf cluster and place stems in a container of lukewarm water.  Inside the house, recut the stems at a one and half inch angular cut, under warm running water, then place cut roses in a vase filled with warm water.  Do not remove the thorns on cut roses, removing the thorns reduces their indoor life by as much as three days.  

Hydrangeas: need plenty of water. In the fields, where they were originally discovered, were wetland areas. Then, fortunately for us, some gardeners introduced them into their gardens and ‘the rest is history’.  Apply aged manure around the Hydrangeas, which should be planted in full sun and spaced at least four feet apart for good ventilation and to prevent mildew from occurring. If you have blue Hydrangea macrophylla and want a more vibrant shade of blue, add some peat moss on top of the manure. The acidity in the peat will produce a lovely deep shade of blue. 

Wisteria: regular pruning through spring and summer is the main factor to help this arrogant vine to flower. Prune several times during the growing season, which means pruning every two weeks by at least six inches on each stem.  

Clematis wilt: if you have this problem with clematis, you will notice it early because the shoots wilt and die. This disease is impossible to cure, as it is soil-borne. Soil-borne means that it is not possible to plant another clematis of that species in that area of the garden. However, you can plant the Viticella clematis variety. The Viticella clematis are vigorous, free-flowering blooms and are not susceptible to wilt.  Some good choices of this variety are Blue Belle and Etoile Violette — both are purple — and Huldine, which is white,  

CONTAINER GARDENS:

If you have room for one pot, you have room for a number! By placing them close together with different shapes and sizes, you can create your own miniature garden. Apart from regular pots, the most unexpected objects make interesting containers. A friend who cut down trees this past winter, left the stumps and hollowed them out to make containers, one large and two smaller stumps together, and it made an interesting combo. 

Check in your basement, shed or barn to see if you have an old wheelbarrow, even if the wheelbarrow has a wheel missing like mine, which I painted with eco-conscious paint and then placed near the kitchen door filled with bright colored vines, miniature grasses and small perennials.

Or you may discover a large old ceramic jar, which is what happened to me when I came across an old two-foot-tall ceramic vinegar container in the barn, replete with a hole where the vinegar tap was inserted, making it ideal for drainage. The jar planted with multi-colored perennials looked great on my newly-painted, blue bench beside my red milk shed.  

LAWN CARE:

Do not forget to add organic grub control through July, so that you help to keep down the mole infestation; remember no grubs, less food for the moles.  

POWDERY MILDEW:

Keep an eye open for powdery mildew, especially after a rain when humidity returns.  My recipe for powdery mildew is as follows:

In a sprayer, mix two tablespoons of baking soda, one tablespoon of vegetable or horticultural oil in a gallon of water and spray the mildew.  Hydrangeas and Summer phlox are particularly prone to this problem.  To held counteract the mildew problem, I recommend Phlox Miss Lingard or Phlox David, which are the white Phlox and are the most mildew resistant. 

Monarda, commonly known as Bee Balm, are also affected by mildew and the one I have found to be the most resistant is “Cambridge Scarlet”. However, please be careful when introducing Monarda into the garden; this plant, like Purple Loosestrife and Evening Primrose are extremely invasive and can take over your entire border.

Regarding invasive plants; if you plant mint, plant it only in containers, otherwise that too will wildly spread throughout your borders.

I hope these tips are useful to you during this busy time of year in the garden. Stretch, hydrate and enjoy the burgeoning promise of your garden and I’ll see you next month.

If you would like some more gardening advice, contact my son Ian at LandscapesByIan.com. I am sure you would enjoy speaking with him as he is full of knowledge and, as the old saying goes, “The apple does not fall far from the tree!”

About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey. 

“The darling buds of May” is such an apt phrase for one of the most enchanting months, which brings bloom on spring bulbs and flowering trees — the Amelanchier, the Dogwood and the Cherry to name a few — and new, awakening foliage on trees winking in the sun.  

By now, you have probably removed most of the winter debris, pruned broken branches and re-edged borders. However, do not apply the composted manure before the soil warms up to 60 degrees. The soil needs to reach that temperature for the soil organisms to work with the bacteria of the manure, which produces nutrients for the roots of the plants.  I suggest, when shopping for garden supplies, pick up a soil thermometer to check soil temperature as I am sure the soil temperature will reach 60 degrees in a few weeks. 

As I walk around my garden, I notice our old nemesis, weeds, emerging everywhere.  Pull these up by hand, without breaking them together with the roots. If you use a tool, it breaks the weed and the broken weed pieces will take root and you will face hundreds more to get rid of soon.  Follow on the weeding with an organic corn, gluten- based weed pre-emergent by Bradfield Organics; this product will keep weeds at bay for quite a few weeks.   

Compost, Humus, Mulch, Manure & More

When the soil warms to 60 degrees, apply composted manure around daffodils and other spring bulbs so that soil organisms will produce nutrients to feed the bulbs for next year’s bloom. Also, a reminder to not cut down the daffodil foliage as the nutrition from the foliage is absorbed into the bulb for bloom next spring. 

Also in a few weeks when the soil has warmed up, apply composted manure and a light layer of fine bark mulch to all maintained areas of the garden, again in July and finally in October before putting the garden to bed. The manure and mulch begin to build the humus component. 

Regarding types of mulch, only use the natural brown wood mulch — do not use the colored mulches, which contain chemicals, and do not use rubber mulch. 

A word of caution on Cocoa Mulch. This product is highly toxic to dogs and cats.  This product is manufactured by Hershey and sold in many large garden centers.  It is made from the residue of chocolate products and other ingredients and contains a lethal ingredient that has resulted in the reported deaths of cats and dogs that are attracted by the chocolate odor. This mulch contains Theobromine, which is a Xanthine compound with effects similar to those of caffeine and theophylline. The symptoms, which the animals experience, are seizures and death within hours.   

I wrote about the carbon component in my April tips but wanted to emphasize its importance by stating it again for you to build or continue to build the humus component in your soil . 

All living things, including us, are all carbon-based creatures. Humus brings carbon from the air into the soil.

Humus acts like a sponge and holds 90 percent of its weight in water. Because of its negative charge, plant nutrients stick to humus bringing nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus and other important elements to the plant, preventing these nutrients from washing away, acting like nature’s slow-release fertilizer.

Humus improves soil structure making it loose and friable, which helps plants to root in this environment with better access to nutrients, water and oxygen. Humus also helps to filter toxic chemicals from soil, much like carbon-based water filtration systems filter toxins from your water.

I also recommend that you go online to read this article in Scientific American to check out the dangers of Round-Up. This is the most dangerous herbicide not only because of Glyphosate, which is on the list by the World Health Organization as a chelating agent that causes cancer but also because of its inert ingredients. I ask that you are not swayed by the word ‘inert’ as the ingredients are anything but inert and those ingredients combined with Glyphosate are deadly to human cells. 

Flowering Trees & Plants

Forsythia is in bloom, lovely fresh yellow blossoms.  If the bloom on your shrub is not as prolific now, as it was in previous years, prune out the old sparse wood after bloom ends.  

A favorite native tree of mine is the Amelanchier (common name is Shadblow Serviceberry so named for the Shad that run in the rivers at this time to swim upstream to spawn). This early spring blooming tree has creamy panicle blooms, followed by small green leaves and within weeks, red fruit, which is a delicious treat for our feathered friends. Before the birds eat all the fruit, you may want to pick some of the fruit which makes a delicious jelly for your morning toast.  

Here in my town of Old Lyme, the magnolias, cherries and Eastern redbud are vying with one another to show off their finery together with the graceful Dogwoods.  Following the recent rains, many of these trees are blooming at the same time or within a few weeks of one another. Their bloom will soon be over, then we can look forward to rhododendrons, azaleas and followed by mountain laurel in early June. 

Another favorite of mine is the Carlesii viburnum (also known as Korean Spice) with pink buds, opening to white flowers and their delightful fragrance fills the air outside my kitchen door. This viburnum grows to about five feet and can be tucked into many a border particularly in an area where you often walk by to inhale the fragrance. 

Covering the barn wall and scrambling up to the barn roof is my climbing hydrangea – bright green leaves emerging with hundreds of buds indicating that this beautiful climber will be laden with blossoms in summer. 

Tulips, creeping phlox, forget-me-nots, primroses and candytuft are bringing much-needed color to borders and rock gardens. 

If you have not had the opportunity yet, you can still prune your roses for another couple of weeks.  Pull back the old mulch from around the base of the roses and in two to three weeks, apply manure about six inches from the trunk of the plant. Then a week later reapply a layer of the brown natural mulch on top of the composted manure.

As well as building the humus component, these layers keep the roots cool, keep weeds at bay and help retain moisture. Do not mulch right up against the base of any plants as this encourages rodents to nest and gnaw on the plants. 

Beware of fungi that look like weird mushrooms in your mulch; this is called  Artillery fungus, which can adhere to the walls of your home and cause problems.  If you notice this fungus, you will need to remove all the mulch and get it off your property. 

Apply a small amount of lime and about three inches of manure around lilacs — they like sweeter alkaline soil, indicating the use of the lime. By now, you may have already applied lime to the grass, which also enjoys sweeter soil and organic grub control, which eliminates the Japanese Beetle larvae and therefore lessens moles as this cuts off their food source.  

Vegetable Gardens

If you are making an organic vegetable garden this year; a garden measuring 16 ft. x 24 ft. can feed a family of four for a year; but keep the size within your needs and capability.  Don’t work the soil if it is too wet or too dry.  

Double digging is the best way to go, this takes time and effort but its well worth it – dig down about one foot and remove the topsoil, put the soil to one side, then dig down and loosen the next six inches of soil and add about three inches of composted manure then put back the topsoil and add another three to four inches of manure.  

Do not rototill the vegetable garden, as this destroys soil structure. Gently loosening the top few inches of the soil to aerate it, makes it friable and results in an excellent yield of fruits and vegetables. 

I prefer 6 ft. x 4 ft beds rather than rows; beds produce a larger yield of crops. In addition, beds make for ease of weeding and harvesting by having narrow compacted soil or grass paths (having removed lawn from the area) in-between the beds. 

The vegetable garden should be situated on the south or southwest side of the property for maximum sun exposure. 

Make sure you remove as many weeds as possible by hand, before you even begin digging.  

You need a water source close by as vegetables require lots of water, particularly annual fruiting vegetables like tomatoes, which are hydroponic which means they consist of a large amount of water. 

Rotate crops, by that I mean, do not plant the same vegetables in the same place as the previous year.  Using this method helps to prevent any soil- born diseases occurring.     

In the loosened soil, plant the vegetables plants so that they are touching, this forms a natural canopy, shading out weeds and helps retain moisture. 

I prefer to mulch the vegetable garden with composted manure, the reason being that manure, as mulch, does not cap. Capping is when mulch forms a crust, which does not allow water or air to penetrate to the roots of the plants.

Fence in the vegetable garden with a tall fence to keep animals out. At the base of the fence install eight inches of fine mesh chicken wire above ground and eight inches below ground to keep out the digging and burrowing animals. 

Organic Insect Control

Insects do not like fragrance so plant fragrant plants like marigolds, nasturtium, lavender, nepeta, honeysuckle and roses to name a few.  

Encourage lacewings, which feed on aphids by planting marigolds and sunflowers,

Attract ground beetles by laying a log or a rock on the earth, under which the beetles can hide. These useful insects are nocturnal and eat slug and snail eggs, cabbage maggots, cutworms and even climb trees to feed on armyworms and tent caterpillars.  

Mowing Tips

Following all the rain, your grass is hopefully a vibrant shade of green, therefore when mowing keep the blades of grass at about three inches tall; the taller blades attracts sunlight, promoting a healthier lawn. The taller blades also shade out weeds and help to retain moisture in the grass.   

When mowing, leave grass clippings on the lawn, the clippings are a natural source of nitrogen. If you have clover in the grass, clover is an added benefit as clover takes nitrogen from the air and fixes it in the soil, as an additional nutrient for plant growth.

After flowering is over, prune flowering shrubs by 25 percent – do this task immediately before new buds set for next year. 

On a rainy day go shopping for any garden supplies that may be needed, then when the weather is dry, you can be outdoors doing what you love and not indoors shopping.  Buy good hoses, cheap ones will bend and crack.  

Peonies, Hydrangeas, Lilacs & More

Peonies need plenty of water to produce flower buds.  I had a 30 ft. long stand of Peonies in my field. The Peonies have been in the ground for over 50 years and are a sight to behold when in bloom.  I gave them lots of loving care with a light dressing of aged manure in early May.  In a few weeks, I  pinch off the side buds while they are still small, leaving the terminal flower bud on each stalk, which develops into a large main bloom.

Hydrangeas are a wetland plant and require plenty of water during the season, with the addition of manure and mulch around the base. If you have blue Hydrangeas and want a deeper color of blue, also add some peat around the base of the plant, the acidity in the peat produces the bright blue color.   

If you need to prune a Hydrangea, which has become too large, then prune it immediately after flowering, in EARLY SEPTEMBER, prune about 1/3 of the old wood and the weakest shoots. DO NOT WAIT, as Hydrangeas begin to develop bloom buds for next year later in September.  If you wait to prune it is likely that you will not have bloom for next year. 

My maternal grandmother’s favorite plant, the Lily of the Valley (pictured right in photo) will bloom in another couple of weeks. These lovely flowers are tucked on the small hill on the west side of my apartment, and I am so looking forward to gathering a few fragrant blooms to enjoy indoors.   

When the lilacs have finished blooming, pinch off the withered flower clusters, and do the same on the mountain laurel and rhododendrons in late June to ensure good blossoms next year. 

In mid-May apply composted manure, a light application of peat and fine bark mulch around all evergreens and rhododendrons, mountain laurel and azaleas; these plants are shallow- rooted and the mulch will keep the roots nourished, protected, warm and moist. 

Some annual seeds that may be planted outside in mid May are: Calendula, Coreopsis, Marigold, Nasturtium, Nicotiana and Zinnia.  

Frost – If you purchase annuals, on Mother’s Day weekend, place them in a sheltered spot on the south side of your home. Plant them no earlier than Memorial weekend as we can still get a late frost. 

Tuberous-rooted begonias, caladiums, cannas and elephant ears can be moved from porch or cold frame to a part shade area as the weather becomes warmer and there is no sign of frost in the forecast.   

If you staked trees, when they were planted last year, cut the stakes off at ground level, do not pull them out otherwise the roots of the trees could tear and be damaged.

Aphid tip: squish a few in your hand; dead aphids release a chemical that causes other aphids to drop off the plants. 

Another ants and aphids tip – if you drink mint tea, any leftover tea sprinkle on the bugs, as they do not like the smell of mint.  

A word of caution on mint – plant mint only in containers, mint is tremendously invasive and can take over your garden.

When planting annuals, perennials, vegetables, trees, shrubs or evergreens keep them watered.   

Houseplants can be moved outdoors for their summer sojourn at the end of May.  However, do not put your African violets outdoors as they will burn, move the violets to a porch that is covered and shaded, or keep them indoors in a window that does not receive direct rays from the sun.

Wait until the soil warms up at the end of May to set out Dahlia tubers.  

Roses are Red … and a Multitude of Other Colors

Roses are not the troublesome creatures you have been led to believe.  I like to plant David Austin roses; these shrub roses are repeat bloomers with lovely fragrances.  

Roses need at least four hours of sun per day, good air circulation, and excellent drainage.  During their growing period from the beginning of June to mid August; add a little extra composted manure each month; it may be applied over the mulch.  Stop adding the manure in August so that the roses can go into a slow dormancy. 

Roses like the same growing conditions as Clematis and can be planted together in a ‘companion planting’, which means they grow well together, with feet in the shade and head in the sun. Before you top up the soil around the roses when planting, add water and check if the soil drains, roses need good drainage.  Deep watering is recommended at least once a week. 

Plenty of stuff to keep you hopping folks and remember to keep your eye out for any pest trouble and when you spot it get on the ball immediately to avoid further problems.  Carefully discard all herbicides and pesticides; these poisons have the same effect on your health as second-hand smoke.  

Your garden offers an anchor for peace and quiet enjoyment.  Enjoy the warmth, the gentle breeze, the earth’s fragrance and bloom and please remember to breathe and stretch before any garden labor.  

Enjoy and I will see you in your garden next month.

If you would like, my son Ian of LandscapesByIan would be happy to talk to you and answer gardening questions or you may request him to visit your home for a consultation. The apple does not fall far from the tree and, in my humble opinion, Ian is more talented and creative than I!

About the author: Maureen Haseley-Jones is a member of a family of renowned horticultural artisans, whose landscaping heritage dates back to the 17th century. She is one of the founders, together with her son Ian, of, The English Lady Landscape and Home Company. Maureen and Ian are landscape designers and garden experts, who believe that everyone deserves to live in an eco-conscious environment and enjoy the pleasure that it brings. Maureen learned her design skills from both her mother and grandmother, and honed her horticultural and construction skills while working in the family nursery and landscape business in the U.K. Her formal horticultural training was undertaken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in Surrey.