I've compiled a summer gardening checklist because there's so much to tackle in the yard right now. Without it, I'd surely overlook some crucial tasks.
Everything is blooming rapidly, presenting a new set of jobs daily to keep my backyard ideas vibrant.
To manage it all, I prefer a 'little and often' approach, which not only maintains our yard's beauty but also helps me relax at the end of the day.
Explore our summer gardening tips for a stunning backyard that blooms until fall.
11 Essential Tasks for Summer Gardening
Here are 11 vital tasks to ensure your garden and houseplants thrive throughout the summer and into fall.
1. Prune Stone Fruit Trees
Summer pruning of stone fruit trees helps prevent silver leaf disease.
During midsummer, it's the right time to prune plum trees, gages, apricots, and cherries. Unlike many deciduous fruit trees pruned in fall, these can be vulnerable to silver leaf disease, which releases spores in late summer and winter.
To minimize contamination risk, prune during this limited midsummer window. Always use clean and sharp tools to avoid harming the wood and transmitting diseases. I recommend gonicc 8in Bypass Pruning Shears from Amazon for smaller branches and a foldable saw like Rexbeki folding saw with a 14in blade on Amazon for thicker branches.
For higher branches, I use long-handled loppers like the Fiskars 28in bypass loppers, a best-seller on Amazon.
Remove any dead or diseased branches, cutting back to healthy wood. Also eliminate weak, spindly branches that obstruct airflow and create an unkempt appearance.
Signs of silver leaf include a silvery sheen on leaves and dark staining on cut wood. If your tree shows symptoms, cut back affected areas to healthy wood 4-6in beyond the diseased part, dispose of it, and disinfect your tools.
2. Prepare Plants for Vacation
Keep houseplants on damp capillary matting to ensure they receive water while you're away.
Before heading off on vacation, make sure your garden is ready. Deadhead plants, remove weeds, and mow the lawn. Focus on plants needing the most water, such as growbag crops and patio containers. Consider an automatic irrigation system like Drip Irrigation System from Amazon for worry-free watering.
Connect it to a timer like Amazon's popular Orbit 62061Z Single-Outlet Hose Watering Timer for easy setup.
For patio planters, consider using bottle drippers like these terracotta vacation plant waterers from Amazon.
Water and fertilize greenhouse plants, keeping doors ajar for ventilation. Place bowls of water in the greenhouse to reduce temperatures and increase humidity.
Harvest ripe crops and check indoor plants. Water them before you leave, and consider moving them to cool areas like the bathroom, standing them in the tub with a bit of water.
Alternatively, use capillary matting, such as this automatic watering system from Amazon for consistent moisture supply.
3. Care for Patio Containers and Baskets
Regularly check containers and baskets for pests.
Your container gardens and hanging baskets should look vibrant. Here's how to maintain their beauty.
Due to the high density of plants in a limited space, containers require frequent watering and feeding.
Check the compost every few days; if it feels dry to your first knuckle, water it. If moisture is present, wait until the next day.
Once buds start forming, feed plants biweekly with a tomato fertilizer like Farmer's Secret Tomato Booster from Amazon to encourage blooming.
Watch for pests; remove slugs, snails, and caterpillars manually. If plants suddenly wilt, you might have vine weevil grubs in the roots. Treat the compost with Nature's Good Guys beneficial nematodes available on Amazon.
Regularly deadhead flowers to promote new blooms, and use snips for sticky-sapped petunias.
4. Take Softwood Cuttings
Pelargonium cuttings are an easy way to propagate new plants.
Midsummer is ideal for taking cuttings from tender perennials like pelargoniums and fuchsias.
These cuttings serve as an insurance policy against winter losses and provide free plants for future beds or containers.
Take cuttings now, avoiding common mistakes, allowing time for growth before colder weather arrives.
Softwood cuttings, taken from this season's growth, root quickly. Store them in a greenhouse or cool indoor area until ready to move outdoors next year after frosts.
5. Move Houseplants Outdoors
Some houseplants thrive outside during summer.
Summer is a great time for houseplants to enjoy the outdoors.
Gradually acclimate them by starting with a few hours outside each day. Place them in a shaded area before introducing them to more sun exposure. Leafy houseplants like calathea prefer indirect sunlight.
Rain can help wash their leaves, while gentle breezes strengthen their stems. However, bring them inside if storms are forecast.
Always check individual plants' needs before moving them outside; some, like moth orchids, dislike being relocated. Plants with fuzzy leaves, such as African violets, also should remain indoors to avoid rain damage. Bring them back in before fall temperatures drop and check for pests.
6. Stay Vigilant Against Pests
Manually removing pests like aphids is essential.
A summer garden can attract pests and diseases if not monitored closely.
Many gardeners are shifting away from chemical sprays, promoting natural diversity in their gardens. This encourages beneficial wildlife, such as ladybirds, to help control pest populations.
The best preventive measure is to monitor plants regularly and manually remove small pest colonies. Handpick slugs, snails, and caterpillars and crush aphids.
Utilizing biological controls, such as parasitic wasps like Encarsia formosa that prey on whiteflies (available from Nature's Good Guys on Amazon) can also be effective.
7. Address Plant Diseases Early
Good care can prevent diseases like powdery mildew.
Preventing diseases starts with selecting healthy plants. Always purchase from reputable sellers and ensure plants have glossy leaves, are not pot-bound, and lack weeds.
When planting, follow size guidelines to provide adequate space for growth. Clean any reused pots to remove lingering pests or diseases.
Overcrowded plants can lead to poor air circulation, increasing the risk of fungal diseases like powdery mildew. If you notice disease symptoms, promptly remove affected areas and dispose of them appropriately—never compost diseased material.
Ensure plants have enough space, and give them proper feeding and watering for lush blooms all summer.
8. Maintain Greenhouse Health
Proper ventilation is key to greenhouse health.
A greenhouse must be a safe haven for plants. Excessive heat can cause wilting, while dry conditions encourage spider mites.
Regulate temperature by improving ventilation with open doors and windows, and consider shading with sun-blocking netting like this Cool Area sun shade from Amazon.
Alternatively, use washable shading paint from Inspired Cool Glass for summer application.
Dampening the floor in the morning reduces temperatures and raises humidity, deterring red spider mites.
9. Thin Young Fruits
Thinning young apples helps them grow larger and healthier.
If your fruit trees are bearing numerous small fruits, don't panic if some start shedding. This natural process, known as 'the June drop,' helps prevent branches from breaking under the weight.
Once this phase concludes, typically by early July, you can thin the remaining fruits further. Here's a general guide for various fruits:
- Plums should be spaced 2-3in (5-8cm) apart.
- Pears require less thinning, with clusters reduced to two fruits 4-6in (10-15cm) apart.
- Cooking apples need thinning to one fruit every 6-9in (15-23cm), while dessert apples should have one every 4-6in (10-15cm).
- Thin peaches to one every 4in (10cm) when hazelnut-sized, then one every 8-10in (20-25cm) when walnut-sized.
- Nectarines should be thinned to one every 6in (15cm).
10. Deadheading and Weeding
Regular deadheading keeps flowers blooming longer.
While summer gardening can seem overwhelming, don't forget the basics of deadheading, weeding, feeding, and watering.
Deadheading encourages continued blooming, while weeding removes competition for moisture and nutrients.
Weeds can harbor pests and diseases, so remove them and add to the compost heap unless they contain ripe seed heads. Those should be dried in a sunny spot before composting.
For optimal watering, early mornings or evenings are best to minimize evaporation. Water deeply a few times a week instead of light daily sprinkles.
Start the season with a general-purpose fertilizer like Green View Multi-Purpose fertilizer from Amazon, switching to a high potassium tomato feed as buds form.
11. Collect and Store Seeds
Harvest and store flower seeds for future planting.
Summer is prime time for seed collection, allowing you to plant where desired and save money.
Gather seeds when the heads or pods are ripened and dry. Collect on a dry day to avoid rot, and dry them if needed before storage.
Shake seeds out into a container, remove debris, and seal them in a labeled envelope, storing them in a dark, cool, dry place.
Alternatively, deadhead seed pods, collecting their contents similarly. Some seeds, like hellebores, should be sown immediately, while many annuals thrive when stored and dried for spring sowing.
As summer wanes, allow a few pea and bean pods to ripen for next spring's planting. I also save tomato seeds.
Above all, remember to enjoy your garden this summer! You've worked hard to cultivate its beauty, so take time to appreciate it. And as cooler weather approaches, keep our fall gardening checklist handy to transition smoothly into the new season.
