At Home: Maintenance tips for your mid-summer garden

Summer is officially here, and gardens are in full bloom. Jennifer Shull, manager at Culver's Garden Center and Greenhouse, offers some advice to keep plants healthy.

Water

Too much or two little water can be harmful to plants, which may wilt under either condition. Plants looking down? Stick a finger in the soil to see if it's damp. If it is, they could be stressed by heat rather than lack of water. When you water, watering thoroughly will help the plants' root systems penetrate further into the soil.

Mulch

One way to preserve water and keep down weeds is to maintain a good layer of mulch around plants. Hardwood mulch, straw and grass clippings are all good options.

Fertilize

Plants in pots will need more fertilizer than those in the ground. If you have flowers that are no longer blooming, a bloom booster fertilizer can help. There are different kinds of fertilizer for different kinds of plants, so check the label before you buy.

You also can add lime to the soil to provide more calcium to plants, which will prevent blossom end rot on tomatoes, melons, cucumbers and peppers. Rot stop spray also will help with this.

Prune

Trimming out dead growth — dead flowers, or dead branches — helps plants stay healthy. Clearing dead growth can also help prevent spread of disease and give the plant more energy to produce new growth.

Weed

Weeding is important, especially in a vegetable garden — weeds compete with desired plants for nutrients.

About

Culver's Garden Center and Greenhouse makes outdoor living dreams come to life. Stroll through the gardens, nursery, greenhouse and gift shop for inspiration and see why Culver's grown plants are 'Bigger Blooming and Better Performing!' 1682 Dubuque Rd., Marion; (319) 377-4195 | Culverslandscape.com