By CATHY PECK,
Beltrami County
Master Gardener
Does anything taste better than that first ripe tomato of summer? Tulips and other early spring bloomers that chased away the endless gloom of late winter were just as sweet but have foliage that has long been spent and tatty. It detracts from the overall appearance of your gardens. There are strategies that can keep them looking good when spring bloomers have faded. At the same time your efforts can develop attractive plants that will produce more bloom next year, are more resistant to disease, and sometimes even produce a secondary bloom this summer stronger. You will also create healthier plants that will withstand the rigors of the next winter.
First, tidy up the beds by weeding, mulching, and removing unsightly foliage. Until you remove the dead foliage of spring-flowering bulbs, disguise it by interplanting the bulbs with other perennials or annuals. Reserve some colorful annuals in pots to pop in any bare spots rogued out foliage leaves. Even bushy parsley plants or short grasses can fill out an empty area. This technique gives you an opportunity to plan a color scheme around your summer blooming perennials that may be of an entirely different hues from your bed’s early spring display.
You can also put in sculptural elements that will enhance your planting. One can just mulch and allow the existing plants to grow to size. Sometimes we put so many plants in a garden that individual plants don’t get a chance to shine. They can also grow so tightly together that plants won’t have air space between them and will be more susceptible to disease.
A second strategy is to sheer back early blooming perennials by a third or half — perennial geraniums, Hungarian speedwells and Jacob’s ladders, for instance. Give them a light boost of liquid fertilizer and the plants will reward you with bushier new growth that will feed the roots more effectively.
Third, deadhead annuals and perennials. Cut back the bloom stems of columbines and delphiniums all the way to the ground but with lupines, cut spent blooms back to the node above the side bloom stems. After these side buds have bloomed, then cut the bloom stem all the way to the ground. Cut back broken or yellowed foliage on most plants. Remove dead flowers of day lilies, irises, and almost all flowers. Seed production saps the strength of plants grown for bloom. Again, a light dose of liquid fertilizer at cut back time will revitalize the plants for the rest of the summer.
Yellowing foliage can also indicate of a need for increased fertility, especially in plants growing in sandy soil. It could also mean too much rain or poor watering habits. Look for other signs that may indicate a different problem; symptoms can also be the result of disease, damage from sprays, or insect problems. Pay attention to your plants and they will reward you with a healthy appearance, increased bloom, and greater hardiness. Your beds will keep spring in your heart.
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