Summer Maintenance for your Garden – Zone 8

Summer maintenance for you garden includes a number of things. We have listed out several items to get completed in your garden to withstand the hot summer weather. 

What maintenance do I need for my summer garden?

In general, weeding, fertilizing, pest control, watering, and harvesting are items that must be done as maintenance for a summer garden. 

Cleaning, Pruning, and Weeding during the Summer Months

Deadheading and Pruning

In the summer, you will want to do a few things with your plants to boost their flowering and production rate. Remove any female flowers on squash and melon plants to allow energy to go back into the plant. By removing the flowers, the energy will be directed to the fruit already producing. For flowering annuals and perennials, deadhead, or chop off the top flowers, to promote more blooms all around.

In addition, pinching off tops of herbs like basil and lemon balm, will promote bushing and growth in diameter. If a flower has started, simply remove the flower top and add it to your compost. Other plants that can be trimmed in a similar way are tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. To promote growth to the existing fruits, remove “suckers,” or small growths between the stems and branches. (Pro Tip: these suckers can be propagated into new plants!)

Fruit trees in the summertime may be abundant with fruit. However, too many fruits clustered on one branch can cause the limb to break. Add in supports for branches, or remove some of the fruit before they mature, to prevent limbs from damage. 

Weed Before the Seeds

Weeds are a menace in the summertime due to the temperatures being warm and allowing steady germination of new weeds. To prevent more weeds from growing, pick them out regularly. Weeds should be removed before they mature and go to seed. In doing so, the weed population will be reduced. You can learn more about weeds in our article about How to Weed Your Garden. 

Temporary Shade

For any struggling plants, provide shade in the form of shade cloth, or a shady tree or porch. Thirty percent shade cloth will provide plants relief from very hot temperatures, and still allow enough sun through to grow the plant. 

A shady tree or porch are best for plants that are portable. Move potted plants that are struggling with summer heat to these areas to give them a break from the beating sun. 

Soil and Summer Months

Watering

One of the main forms of summer maintenance for your garden is keeping the soil well-watered. In the summertime, soil dries out with the sun and hotter temperatures in the day. For instance, avoid watering in the middle of the day due to the heat and sun. The water will evaporate off the ground and leaves leaving the plant dry. 

Deep watering aids in well-developed root systems in plants. For plants in pots, regular watering will be necessary for proper growth. However, allow plants to dry between waterings. Two or three waterings a week may be necessary. 

Drip irrigation systems are very beneficial in the summertime due to the amount of water needed to keep plants going. Check irrigation lines for damages and proper function to save you time when gardening in the summer. 

In addition, when walking through the garden, be sure not to brush wet leaves on you. Wet leaves can transfer disease from plant to plant.

Fertilizing

Summertime is a great time to fertilize your plants. Using dry granular fertilizer, or wet fertilizer can both be beneficial. In addition, heavy composting will help the soil replenish. During spring, the soil nutrients are heavily used to produce and grow your garden, therefore, adding nitrogen boosting supplements like fertilizer or compost is a must. 

For more about fertilizing, visit our article about Summer Gardening. 

Mulching 

Mulching is a great way to provide moisture and coolness to your summer garden. Mulch covers the ground which protects root systems from overheating and helps deter weeds. For instance, your soil is very well draining and loses moisture readily, apply 4 to 6 inches of mulch on top of your soil to help retain the water. Using mulch also helps with preventing soil erosion. 

Pest Control

Pest and summertime are like peanut butter and jelly. They go together all too well. One of the top forms of maintenance for a summer garden is pest control.

Look out for bugs that can damager plant growth. Aphids, spider mites, white fly, caterpillars, worms, slugs, and snails are common in Zone 8. Others may include grasshoppers and Japanese beetles. Remove these bugs with organic pesticides like neem oil, insecticidal soap, or blasts of water. In addition, picking off the larger bugs by hand may be necessary.

Other pests that may limit your garden, are animals. Squirrels, moles, rabbits, and other rodents can run off with ripe fruits and take bites out of some vegetables. Also, birds may peck and eat fruit before you are able to get to them. Use netting and fencing to protect your summer garden. 

The Good Bugs

Although bugs in your garden may seem negative, there are several beneficial insects. Pollinators being the most well-known, bees, butterflies, dragonflies, and lady bugs, all pollinate flowers and some even kill menacing bugs. Other beneficial bugs are praying mantis, spiders, and wasps. 

Praying mantis will eat a variety of beetles and insects. Spiders also eat a variety of bugs in general. Wasps will help with pollinating, and some can be parasitic to caterpillars. 

Seeds and Plants for Summer in Zone 8

Zone 8 is a great zone to grow in the summertime. Although there are days over 100F, some plants will continue to survive and produce.

Focus on perennial flowers to attract pollinators and hummingbirds. Good examples include salvia, bee balm, rudbeckia, Shasta daisies, or trumpet vines. In addition, plant sunflowers and other seed producing plants for birds and animals. 

For any vegetables or fruits you would like to grow, reference our growing tables in our Summer Garden article. Furthermore, start succession planting to make sure you have a continuing harvest. 

Succession planting is staggering the plantings of the same vegetables or planting different vegetables in the same spot once the first plant has matured and finished growing. Arugula is a common plant to succession plant due to its fast maturity rate, and bolting. 

Pick and Harvest

Summer is a time of abundance, and there is plenty to harvest from. Pick fruit and vegetables often to promote continued growth. Similar with flowers, continue to cut off blooms to promote more growth.

When harvesting fruits and vegetables, pick younger fruits for sweeter and more tender edibles. In addition, harvest onions and garlic around this time once the tops have dried and fallen over. 

Lastly, collect seeds from the most successful vegetables, herbs, and flowers for the next growing season. Picking from more successful produce will promote a more successful plant in the next season. Avoid diseased and damaged fruits and vegetables.

Other Maintenance for your Summer Garden

• Repair bare spots in lawns with compost and seed.
• Divide irises and perennials at the end of the month
• Remove dead or diseased plants. 
• Dump standing water to prevent mosquito breeding
• Fill up your bird feeders to give the birds something to eat other than your garden
• Hummingbird feeder
• Clean bird baths and water dishes thoroughly
• Add a bird house