Summer is Heating Up: A quick update from Bryan Miller-Horticulturist

Summer finally decided to warm up at the end of June, really firing up all the summertime annuals. After a slow, wet start to summer, the flowers really started to take off when the heat kicked in. All the rain we received mid June, however, (around 6"-8" in a week) did not help things, especially from a disease stand point. All things considered, the plants held their own, minus a few cases powdery mildew on the Bee Balm (Monarda) and some areas where plants were just sitting in several inches of water. Some of the challenges that come with new landscaping, especially those after a major construction project, are drainage and proper soil conditions. Still working out some of the kinks, but our heavy clay soil mixed with construction fill and compaction provide the perfect storm for poor drainage resulting in the standing water that some of these plants are sitting in, causing root rot, among other things. We will try and remedy these troublesome areas by tilling in some pine fines in the fall to loosen the soil up and provide better drainage. The following photos show the differences between the viburnum and lilacs that are sitting in water vs those that are in a drier spot.

 The summertime annuals in the heavy clay soil also show signs of stunted growth. The following photos show Bidens and Petunias thriving in the rich soil of some of our older beds, while they struggle in the beds that are heavily compacted and mostly clay. The Lobularia and Cleome also struggle in wet soil, as shown in some of these photos as well.

I'll end with the older more established beds, as well as containers and hanging baskets. No complaints here. They all look great and really filling out nicely. The heat, proper fertility and water management result in some very healthy looking plants.

As always, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to stop me and ask. Have a great rest of the summer!

Bryan Miller
Horticulturist, Hyde Park GCC