Honey Do's for July

Here's list of things to do around the garden for July (this is for zone 7, adjust for your zone):

• Deadhead spent flowers to promote growth of new blooms. If you are saving seeds, let the spent flowers turn brown before cutting to ensure the seeds have matured enough to germinate.
• Pinch any suckers from tomato plants to focus growth on the fruits. Leave ones above the fruit to help shade them from the brutal July sun.
• Plant the pinched suckers in growing medium in 2-3 inch containers, keep moist and lightly shaded. The stems will take root and can be transplanted to the garden for a fall harvest.
• Harvest herbs before they begin to flower. That is when they contain the most of their essential oils. Pick in the morning before the sun heats up the leaves.
• The days between rain showers will seem to stretch on forever stressing out your plants in the summer heat. Make sure to water early in the morning or in the evening to prevent loosing it all to evaporation. Water deeply every few days to encourage roots to grow down instead of near the surface where they will dry out faster.
• Plants in containers will dry out faster than those in the ground. Check them daily; water as needed.
• Keep those weeds in check by preventing them from going to seed. Pull them out or chop the tops off with a garden hoe. Mulching around your plants makes it easier to pull out weeds and reduces water loss from evaporation.. 
• Check any houseplants spending the summer outdoors for insect damage or egg laying. Use a damp cloth to gently wipe the leaves top and bottom to remove any.
• Keep the birdbath cleaned and full of fresh water for our bug eating feathered friends. Clean out that hummingbird feeder at least once a week during the hot, hazy days of summer.

If the summer heat keeps you out of the garden, spend some time indoors planning your fall garden or cleaning up and organizing your potting shed from the spring planting frenzy. You'll be able to hit the garden running when the temperatures start to cool.

Happy Planting!

Re-use Empty Milk Containers

Empty milk containers are pretty handy to have around the garden. There are dozens of uses that I've found for any size jug or carton. Here's a few:

• Mixing fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. Gallon jugs are especially useful here when the instructions typically call for mixing with a gallon of water.
• Plant irrigation. Punch two small holes in the bottom of the container, fill it with water or diluted fertilizer and set it next to your plant. Leave the top on loosely to create a vacuum which will slowly leak into the ground.
• Plant pots. Cut off the top and poke some drainage holes in the bottom and you have a free pot great for starting seeds and transplants. I like the half-gallon cartons for establishing flowers dug from the garden. I cut off about 1/3 of the top to create a deep pot great for root growth. Turn the carton on it's side for a seed starter for onions and lettuce.
• Funnels. With the cap off, the top portion of containers cut for plant pots can be used as a funnel for pouring soil, seeds or fertilizers. It's even handy to help water plants so you get the water at their roots and not on the leaves. Gallon and half-gallon jugs come with a built-in handle!
• Scoops. Keep the cap on to use as a scoop for dirt, fertilizer, lime or water.
• Plant shield. Cut the bottom off the container and place over seedlings to protect from frost at night. Place over weeds, take the cap off and spray with herbicide through the top to protect nearby plants especially on windy days.

Do you have a re-use for empty milk containers that we haven't mentioned here, let us know in the comments section below.