Maple Valley Land Services

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Here’s our top-10 list of what you can do in your gardens this July:

1. Fertilize bedding plants. Warmer weather means more frequent watering & the need to increase fertilization of bedding plants in baskets, planters, & garden beds. Alternate weekly with water soluble Superbloom 10-40-20 and All Purpose 20-20-20 at half strength to keep your bedding plants healthy and blooming. To reduce drought stress, add Orgunique Kelp Boost 0-0-3 into the water weekly at half strength.

2. Fertilize perennials & shrubs. Keep your garden plants healthy by continuing to feed every 6-8 weeks until early Aug. Perennials and vines enjoy GardenPro Perennial & Vine 8-12-16, hedging & other evergreens require Tree & Shrub 14-7-14, & keep your roses healthy and blooming well with Rose Food 8-14-12 following each bloom cycle.

3. Reduce heat stress. Add 1-3 tbsp of worm castings to the base of plants to improve water retention of the soil. Water all outdoor plants deeply and less often to encourage longer roots, and immediately add 2-3” of bark mulch to lock-in the moisture and reduce moisture loss. Tree watering bags save time and make deep watering easy. Also, add Orgunique Kelp Boost 0-0-3 into the water weekly to improve drought resistance and overall plant health.

4. Seeds for Summer Harvest. Seeds to sow outdoors for harvest this summer: arugula, beans (bush & pole), beets, cress, lettuce, swiss chard, and turnips.

5. Seed fall/winter garden. Seeds to sow outdoors in July: carrots, pac choi and choi sum, parsnip, & rutabaga. Seeds to sow indoors in July: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, leek, kale, collard, & onion.

6. Prune tomatoes. For larger fruits, prune out select suckers from indeterminate (vining) tomato plants every 2 weeks once the first flowers begin to open. Find the first set of flowers near the base of the plant and keep the sucker directly below it but remove all of the suckers below that point. Removing those suckers will give more energy to your plant and increase fruit production. You may choose to remove more suckers depending on whether or not you need to control the size of the plant. Be sure to disinfect your pruners between each cut to prevent the spread of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. (Do not remove suckers from determinate (bush) tomato plants.) Continue to feed regularly.

7. Monitor pollination. Check the quality of the fruits on your cucumbers & squashes after 2-3 days after the blossom opens. An unpollinated fruit will turn yellow, shrivel, eventually begin to wither at the blossom end, and rot or drop off the plant. Be sure to cut these unpollinated fruits off the plant. To boost & improve yields, hand-pollinate the female flower (slight swelling at the base of the bloom) by brushing pollen from a male flower (straight thin stem).

8. Control mildew on squash. You will recognize mildew on cucumbers & squash as a powdery white coating on the leaves. Cut out the worst leaves & spray the remaining plant with a copper-based spray every 7-10 days during wet humid weather.

9. Harvest berries & garlic. Everbearing strawberries & early raspberries should be ripe for picking this month. Harvest garlic when 1/3 to 1/2 of the tops turn yellow & bend. Dig up the garlic bulbs and gently brush the soil from the roots (don’t wash with water). Allow them to dry for 2 weeks in a shaded area with good air flow. Store in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated area at 15°C.

10. Deadhead roses. Remove the first flush of spent flowers from your rose bushes & then feed with GardenPro Rose Food 8-14-12 to support the next flush of flowers.

📋 Here’s our top-10 list for indoor and outdoor gardens this June:

1. Direct sow many autumn/winter harvest vegetable, herb, and flower seeds in June! Carrots, Parsnips and Rutabaga are a few examples to direct sow in June. There are also vegetable seeds that must be sown indoors, including Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, Leeks, and Overwintering Onions. Visit us in-store for a complete seed starting list.

2. Plant next crop of vegetable starter plants such as lettuces, carrots, beets, cabbages, pack choi, and swiss chard. Apply Orgunique Tomato & Vegetable fertilizer every 3-4 weeks until harvest or GardenPro Veggie & Flower fertilizer every 6-8 weeks.

3. Fertilize ANNUALS with GardenPRO Superbloom every week at half strength. Fertilize FRUIT TREES, BERRY BUSHES, AND CANE FRUITS with granular GardenPRO Berry & Tree Fruit fertilizer every 4 weeks until early August, or liquid Orgunique Fruit and Berry fertilizer every 7-10 days. Note: a granular fertilizer will feed for longer, but the liquid goes to work instantly and is an organic alternative. Fertilize TREES & SHRUBS with GardenPro Tree & Shrub fertilizer every 6-8 weeks until early August. Fertilize ROSES with GardenPro Rose Food after the first bloom cycle is complete. Fertilize PERENNIALS & VINES with GardenPro Perennial & Vine fertilizer every 6 weeks until early August.

4. Pinch back annual plants to stimulate new growth resulting in more branching and enhanced flowering. Maximize bloom potential by feeding with GardenPRO Superbloom weekly at half strength.

5. Conserve soil moisture during the heat of the summer by applying 2” of bark mulch. Apply Orgunique Kelp Boost to all of your plants to reduce drought stress, to strengthen the plants, and to increase pest and disease resistance. Support young trees by installing watering bags to the base of each tree.

6. Trim boxwoods. You can trim your boxwoods from now until mid-September. Thereafter, you’ll want to leave them to harden up for the winter. Fertilize with GardenPro Tree & Shrub fertilizer every 6-8 weeks until early August.

7. Support tall perennials with stakes or add peony rings to your prized peonies so they don’t flop over after a heavy rain.

8. Treat ant problems. We highly recommend Terro Ant Bait stations for indoor and outdoor use. They are very effective.

9. Remove spent lilac flowers for more blooms next year. Fertilize with Orgunique Kelp Boost to encourage more blooms for next year and to increase pest and disease resistance.

10. Inspect gardens weekly for pests. Control caterpillars with the natural bacterium BTK to prevent defoliation on both edible and ornamental plants. Speak with our licensed pest control team members to discuss the appropriate solutions for your garden.

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📋 Here’s our top-10 list for indoor and outdoor gardens this May:

1. Direct sow veggie seeds and plant starter veggies according to specific minimum nighttime temperature requirements. Visit us for a full list.

2. Plant herbs. Note: heat-loving herbs such as basil, stevia, and lemon verbena should be planted outdoors when nighttime temps reach 15℃.

3. Plant perennials. Each perennial has its own bloom time, so plant a selection of perennials to enjoy a succession of colour throughout the year.

4. Apply slug bait around your veggie gardens, hostas, and dahlias.

5. Change the colour of your mophead and lacecap hydrangeas. Apply GardenPro Dolomite Lime to soil for pink blooms and GardenPro Aluminum Sulphate for blue blooms.

6. Feed your roses. Apply Orgunique Kelp Boost 0-0-3 to the soil around your roses to help protect them from pests and fungal issues such as black spot and aphids. Also, feed your roses monthly with granular GardenPRO Rose Food (8-14-12).

7. Apply biological controls such as Weevilution to manage root weevils on rhododendrons, hydrangeas, azaleas, primulas, camellias, and strawberries; and apply Attack Pack nematodes for crane flies in lawns or cutworms in gardens.

8. Prune lilacs and rhodos immediately after flowering and feed with GardenPro Rhodo and Azalea fertilizer (6-12-12).

9. Plant annuals for summer colour. Come see us in our 12,000 sq ft bedding plant department for recommendations on the best plants for your garden.

10. Feed hanging baskets and planters with GardenPro Hanging Basket Slow Release fertilizer (14-14-14) and then supplement with Superbloom (10-40-25) every two weeks.

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