Helpful Tips • Nasturtiums are one of the easiest flowers to grow and they are edible. Do not
fertilize the plants and you will see more flowers. The flowers have a peppery
flavor and they can really dress up a salad.
• Purchase perennials in the summer when you can buy them very reasonably. If
you don’t have a permanent place to plant them now, plant them anywhere in the
garden. You can transplant them in October when the weather is cooler.
• Don’t fertilize plants when the soil is very dry. It will burn the roots and may
kill the plant.
• Pull weeds when the soil is wet. The roots will come out easier. It is important
to get the whole root out or the weed will grow back.
• Make mulch last longer by spreading newspaper down first and then put the
mulch on top. Make sure you use newspaper that has only black and white print.
The colored ink may contain lead.
• Want to attach Hummingbirds to your garden? Plant red flowers! Red lawn
decorations will also attack these birds. Offer nesting materials such as ferns
and moss. Make sure you have fresh water available for drinking and bathing.
• Got moles? Maybe you have grubs in your lawn, this is their favorite snack. Get
rid of the grubs and improve your lawn. You could also try poking a hole in their
tunnel and put in a ½ stick of Juicy Fruit gum. That should get rid of the moles.
• Your irises aren’t blooming? If you have foliage but no blossoms there might be
a few things to check:
o Iris like their roots to be buried just below the surface with lots of
breathing room. Don’t crowd them with other plants.
o Divide the roots every 3-4 years when they become crowded.
o Fertilize in the early spring and again about 4 weeks after blooming.
o Check your soil PH and the variety of iris that you are trying to grow. • Bee Balm is a wonderful plant to grow in the garden. The flowers attract bees
and butterflies to the garden. It makes a great cut flower and blossoms are red,
purple, and pink. You can make tea with the leaves when they are either fresh or
dried. The tea will have a fruity, mint aroma.
• Coleus plants are grown for their leaves not their flowers. To keep your plants
growing fuller and bushier, pinch off the tiny flowers that may grow between the
leaves.
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