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A friend asked me why her petunia baskets were starting to get bald in the middle. Because her hanging baskets are hung on a covered patio they don’t often get a lot of rain. So, at least once a week, fill a garbage can full of water and add some water soluble fertilizer to it. Dunk baskets into the water until they are total submerged. When the air bubbles stop coming out, lift the basket out and let excess water drain back into the garbage can. You can do the same to many of your other planters, too. Make sure everything has a chance to drain completely.
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With all this rain, I have had to pull out the liners in containers that do not have drainage holes to allow the soil to dry out. Both under- and over-watering can stress out plants.
In the case of petunias, now is the perfect time to give them a bit of a haircut. As the plants grow, the weight of the flowers on the tips tend to pull the stems down causing bald spots at the top of your plant. I like to cut off about a quarter to a half the length of my petunias, around this time. I know that means cutting off flowers, but for every flower you cut off, several more will grow back in its place. Some gardeners like to bowl cut their petunias, where others like to be a bit more discreet as they cut their plants back. Try both ways to see which you prefer.
You can also do this to impatiens and many of the trailing plants in your pots. Never take more than half of the overall growth on any plant. Do not try this on geraniums. They do not recover the same and will take a long time to look good again.
Most plants appreciate a bit of a cut-back about mid-season. I try to do this early in the morning on one of the cooler days. Always make sure you water your containers really well after cutting back the plants to prevent shock.
In this heat, we are looking more at maintaining our gardens and enjoying the fruits of all our labour. Take a rest, because before long it will be time when we can do more dividing or replanting of things and getting ready for the winter.
Denise Hodgins is a professional gardening coach in London. Send your questions to coaching@diggendirtdesigns.com
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