The weather forecast for this summer was hot and dry. We have already had the hot, but I’m appreciating the frequent rain that has prevented the dry. Weather isn’t something we can control, but we can work with it to make the most of our summer garden experience.
The wind we had on Friday evening totally wrecked my beautiful tall blue delphiniums, so now I’m cutting them back to 4 inches to promote a new crop of flowers for late summer.
I am also keeping up spraying fungicide on my phlox and other perennials that are often attacked by mildew. Mildew is a fungus that shows up as a dusty white powdery look on the leaves. It is ugly to look at and not possible to wash off. The damage is evident in deformed foliage and flowers, and it limits the plant’s ability to photosynthesize because it blocks sunlight from the leaf. It can form on either the upper or lower surface of the leaf, and once it infects the plant, spray will only stop its spreading.
This is also the time to spray squash plants to protect them from squash borers. Apply the insecticide to the base of the stems because that is where the bug lays its eggs and the larvae enter the stems and do their thing. It is not difficult to prevent them, but once they get inside the vines, the damage shows up first as wilted leaves and then the vines dies.
If you have still been harvesting asparagus, call it quits for the season. Allowing those canes to grow will give the plant the energy it needs to give you a harvest again next year.
I want to say thank you to the merchants in Luverne who have made this city look like a happy place … all the beautiful planters and tables in front of their stores reflect a community that is progressive and welcoming.
Thank you also to the city and Chamber of Commerce for initiating and supporting the projects that keep us moving forward and make Luverne a place we are proud to call home!