Master Gardener advice to improve outdoor spaces
The dog days of summer are almost upon us! While we’ve enjoyed bountiful rain this spring, soon enough the hot, dry weather of summer will be out in full force. Shawnee County Extension Master Gardeners share advice to help you care for mature plants, new plantings, your lawn and the pollinators who support your garden during the summer.
Caring for mature trees & shrubs
You might think large, mature plantings don’t need water this time of year, but they still do! Keeping large trees and shrubs watered can help these plants out a lot when it comes to them staying disease and issue free in the long term. Watering slowly and over a long period of time allows water to get down deep into the soil, where trees and shrubs have most of their roots. For more information, check out our tips on Watering Trees & Shrubs.
Master Gardener Response Line
Late spring and summer are also when insects and diseases can impact your lawn, garden and landscape. If you need help identifying the cause of your horticultural ailments, I encourage you to use the Master Gardener Response Line. This is a free service and our trained volunteers will answer your burning questions with research-based information. We’ll answer anything, from identifying why your tomatoes aren’t ripening, what to do about patchy areas in your lawn, or why your trees are showing fall color in the middle of summer. Call us at 785-232-0062, email us at sn@listserv.ksu.edu, stop by the office at 1740 SW Western Ave. or use our online question submission.
Attracting & protecting pollinators
While honey bees are important pollinators for many of the fruits and vegetables we enjoy, there are many others who are equally as important. Butterflies, native bees, and even beetles and flies are helpful in the local ecosystem. These crucial species are in trouble, but we can help. Thu, June 12 Master Gardener Carrie Riordan will teach you about attracting these beneficial insects to your home landscape. For more resources, check out Pollinator Victory Garden by Kim Eierman and Pollinator Gardens by Nick Rebman.
Shade gardens with variety
Do you have a part of your landscape that is just too shady for many of the plants you enjoy? While everyone thinks of hostas and lily of the valley for shade gardens, there’s a whole pallatte of plants that grow well in shady parts of your yard. Master Gardener Linda Jakle hopes to inspire you and give you some new ideas of plants to use in your shade garden July 10. The New Shade Garden by Kenneth Druse and Planting the Dry Shade Garden by Graham Rice are great books for more reading.
Summer lawn care
When it comes to caring for turfgrass, timing is key! Keeping your lawn green and gorgeous can often come down to proper timing on planting, fertilizing and maintenance. To get your lawn growing in the right direction, join Master Gardener Kevin Siek on Aug 14 as he breaks down the annual calendar for both warm season and cool season turf species. I also recommend the book Lawns by Geoff Hodge.
Join the Master Gardeners
I hope you’ll take these opportunities to interact with the Master Gardeners this summer. If you enjoy horticulture and sharing that love with others, I encourage you to join the organization! You don’t need to be a gardening pro to join, you just need to be willing to learn more. Email me at lwwiens@ksu.edu or call 785-232-0062 to talk to me about the program.
Written by Lane Wiens, Shawnee County Horticulture Extension Agent
