Your Summer Gardening Checklist

Summer is a busy time in the garden, with plants thriving and the need for consistent care to keep everything healthy and productive. From watering and pruning to harvesting and planting, there’s a lot to do. This comprehensive summer gardening checklist will help you stay on top of your gardening tasks and make the most of the growing season.

1. Give Plants Even Moisture

As temperatures rise, plants need consistent and even moisture throughout the day to stay healthy. Mulching is an essential tool in summer gardening, as it helps conserve moisture, suppress weeds, and provide more stable soil conditions. Use materials like straw, compost, or coco mulch such as Mega Mulch to protect your vegetable beds and maintain optimal growing conditions.

2. Summer Pruning and Weeding

Keep up with summer pruning to encourage healthy growth and flowering. Deadhead spent spring flowers to encourage a second round of blooms. For blackberry bushes, prune tall primocanes (first-year canes) to the height of your trellis or support, around 5-6 feet, to stimulate the growth of lateral branches where next year’s berries will grow. Table grapes also benefit from summer pruning, so check out additional resources on how to manage them effectively. Stay diligent with weeding, but avoid using weed flamers in dry areas to prevent fire hazards.

3. Support Heavy Fruit Harvests

In many regions, summer marks the start of fruit harvest season. Peaches, nectarines, plums, and pluots ripen, and tree branches may become overloaded. Support heavy branches with tools like the Save a Branch Tree Support to prevent breakage. If you find yourself with an abundance of fruit, preserve it by making jam or freezing it. Remember, avoid fertilizing trees and shrubs after mid-July unless using a nitrogen-free fertilizer. This ensures new growth has time to harden before winter, preventing cold damage.

4. Care for Tomatoes

Tomatoes are summer garden stars but require consistent care to thrive. Remove dead or damaged leaves, tie plants to trellises or stakes, and check regularly for pests like tomato hornworms. If sunscald affects your tomatoes or peppers, install a 30% shade cloth to protect them. To manage indeterminate tomato plants, you can prune the growing tips to stop them from getting taller. If you’re overwhelmed with fresh tomatoes, preserve the excess by canning or freezing.

5. Enrich the Soil with Cover Crops

Unused garden beds or empty ground can be transformed with a summer cover crop. Planting a cover crop like the Summer Soil Builder Mix enriches the soil, suppresses weeds, and adds organic matter. Once tilled into the soil, it boosts fertility and prepares the ground for future planting. This mix also attracts pollinators and fixes nitrogen, with most crops ready to incorporate into the soil within six weeks.

6. Plant Now for a Fall/Winter Harvest

July is the perfect time to start thinking ahead to your fall and winter garden. Direct sow cool-season crops like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, beets, carrots, and peas. These crops will establish during the warm months and provide fresh produce later in the year. For guidance on growing specific crops like broccoli, watch tutorials to ensure success.

7. Keep Harvesting to Encourage Growth

Regular harvesting is key to keeping summer crops productive. Pick beans, summer squash, and cucumbers frequently to encourage continued flowering and fruiting. If you leave mature fruits on the plants, they may stop producing as energy shifts to seed production. To handle an overflowing harvest, preserve surplus vegetables by canning, freezing, or pickling. Green beans are excellent for canning, and cucumbers can be turned into delicious pickles.

8. Keep Lettuce and Other Cool-Season Crops Growing

Though summer heat can challenge cool-season vegetables like lettuce, you can grow them with some extra effort. Providing shade, consistent watering, and proper care can keep these crops thriving even during the hottest months.

9. Plan for Vacations

If you’re planning to take a vacation in July, don’t let your garden suffer in your absence. Install timers on your irrigation system to ensure plants stay hydrated. You might also enlist a friend to harvest produce while you’re away, which will keep your garden productive and prevent food waste.

10. Enjoy Your Summer Garden

Summer gardening is all about reaping the rewards of your hard work. Fresh produce from your garden is not only delicious but also a testament to your care and dedication. Whether you’re harvesting juicy fruits, tending to tomatoes, or planning for the next season, there’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of a thriving summer garden.

With this summer gardening checklist, you’ll be ready to tackle every task your garden requires. From watering and pruning to harvesting and soil enrichment, these steps will ensure your garden remains healthy and productive throughout the season. Enjoy the abundance of homegrown produce and make the most of summer in your garden.