If you water, it will rain; and other rules of gardening

 Lisa Slattery, Linn County Master Gardener, shares the following about the rules of gardening:

Like many gardeners I have been digging, dividing, planting, weeding, mulching and fertilizing for the last month.  Now it's early June and many gardens are taking shape and looking quite lovely.  I recently took a sunny afternoon off from garden chores to inspect my hard work and think about the garden resolutions I committed to back in January.  There were only three and I'm doing pretty well.  

 One: Journal.  My journal is a series of excel spreadsheets for each flower bed (I have 7 plus a vegetable garden) and a three ring binder with notes. I haven't entered all my spring planting dates and notes yet, but I do have all the seed packets and plant markers in a pile next to the computer and a camera full of pictures to download.  Two: Composting.  I have to work on this one.  My kitchen and yard waste is making it into the pile but turning it and maintaining it isn't happening. I vow to do better.  Three: Plant placement or “have a plan.”  So far I'm 80 % on this one.  I have been very good at making sure the new plants I have acquired this spring have the proper place.  I was seduced by a particularly alluring delphinium at the garden center earlier this spring, but I didn't really know where to put it.  It died.  Probably because it wasn't happy where it was placed.  This brings me to think about garden rules, not necessarily garden resolutions.

 The rules? They're easy…

1. Plants die. Even if you thought you had a plan.  

2. No maintenance and low maintenance are not necessarily true phrases.
3. Deer will eat your plants. What the deer don't eat the slugs and rabbits will. Let's not even mention the Japanese beetles…
4. If you water it will rain. If you don't water it won't rain.
5. Weeds will never go away no matter how much hoeing, hand pulling and Preen you use.
6. Your garden will reward you if you make the time to enjoy it.  Just sit and enjoy without jumping up to pull one of those weeds you missed. 
7. Plant what you love, your favorite flowers, colors and scents (but do keep zone in mind.)
8. Be generous. Share bouquets, cuttings, veggies and advice.

 Enjoy June, your garden and the summer ahead.  It won't be long before fall is knocking on the door.