Mid-summer garden guide:
Jobs in the yard & garden

There are mid-summer garden jobs you need keep on top of, but hot, dry weather often slows down plant growth.

Gardening is more relaxed in the lazy hazy days of summer. Now you can walk around with a cool drink and admire your blooming handiwork.

Mid-summer garden jobs - in the yard

Mid-summer coneflowers
Photo: © Y.Cunnington

Keep watering your garden plants to help them through the heat and dryness; if you're going on holidays, ask a friend or neighbor to water your garden and container plants.

Don't forget to water your trees and shrubs, as they need adequate moisture to weather the heat. This is especially important for any new trees and shrubs you have just planted this season.

Raise the mower setting to cut the lawn higher so it can better withstand hot, dry weather of at the height of summer. More tips on lawn care.

To save water if there are watering restrictions in your community, consider allowing your lawn to go dormant. It will green up again when the rains return. See water-wise gardening tips.

Remove weeds before they set seed; don't forget to look under the crown of plants for stray weeds you might have missed.

To do: in the flower garden

Mid-summer deadheading of cosmos
Photo: © Y.Cunnington

Keep deadheading annuals and perennials to encourage more bloom; see deadheading tips.

Pinch or shear back asters and chrysanthemums to encourage bushy growth and more flowers.

Cut back any rampant growth or overly exuberant plants that are smothering their neighbors and prune back perennials that go dormant, bleeding heart and oriental poppies, for example.

Take garden notes and/or photographs to plan future plantings. For more ideas, visit your local garden center and see what they're selling that's in bloom now.

Keep on top of the weeding. Luckily weeds don't grow as quickly in mid-summer. See weeding tips.

If the color in your flower garden seems to be over, make a list of plants to add to give flower and foliage color in late summer and fall. See all-season color for tips.

Look at spring bulb catalogues and start making a list of flowering bulbs you to add for more color in the garden next season. See flower bulbs for ideas.