| Now we are fast approaching the hottest time of | | | | soon as it is ready as it grows more quickly and |
| the year, there are still some things that can be | | | | more surely than seed that has been kept. For |
| done in the garden. Below are a few gardening | | | | annuals, this may not be practical this late in the |
| tips for those that love the summer warmth. For | | | | season. This, of course, depends upon your |
| you who aren't particularly appreciative of the hot | | | | growing season, how long the individual plant |
| hot, then do your gardening chores early in the | | | | actually takes to set seed and other factors. With |
| morning. | | | | perennials, you might be able to get a head start |
| As the flowers in your garden start to fade, you | | | | on next spring by planting the seed in a protected |
| should see seed pods begin to appear. What does | | | | area for the winter. Maybe in a cold frame in a |
| this mean as far as the plant's growth is | | | | protected area. On the other hand, there are |
| concerned? How does it affect the appearance of | | | | some seeds that just do not grow for a long |
| your garden? | | | | time. Some seeds require a certain number of |
| It means that the plant puts most of its | | | | hours of cold temperatures or even below |
| resources towards the seeds and creating them. | | | | freezing temperatures before planting. You will |
| If the seed pods are allowed to remain, the plant | | | | have to research the individual plant you have |
| will not continue to give you flowers like it would if | | | | seed from to see what is practical. |
| the seeds were removed once the flowers go by. | | | | If you have carnations in your garden where the |
| You could end up with a garden with lots of | | | | calyx has a bad habit of splitting, try these old |
| seeds and few blooms. This of course, depends | | | | time fixes. That's the green portions that |
| on many factors. Therefore, faded flowers should | | | | surrounds the petals. First stake each individual |
| be cut off. You can go around every day as you | | | | stem upright so it will not bend over. If that |
| go about youyr gardening with some type of | | | | doesn't work try putting tiny rubber bands around |
| trimmers or scissors and cut off all the dead | | | | the calyx to prevent splitting. It could be fun |
| flowers. You can add this organic matter to your | | | | explaining to guests your gardening technique |
| compost pile. | | | | here. |
| But,there are, of course, exceptions to every rule. | | | | Keep watering, weeding and putting the mulch on |
| There are a some plants that are grown because | | | | the soil to the proper depth around your flowers, |
| of their colored or shaped seed pods. Among | | | | shrubs and trees as described in other articles on |
| these are the Chinese lanterns plants. It is a | | | | our website. Heed the warnings in those articles |
| low-growing plant with white flowers that some | | | | as well. |
| may think are not as pretty as many other | | | | Roses have chores that should be done this |
| flowers, but when the flowers have gone by, | | | | month too. Be on the look out for suckers |
| balloon-like seed pods gradually appear. At first | | | | coming from the roses in your garden. Where |
| these are green, but in time they will change to a | | | | roses grow on their own roots, maybe reared |
| brilliant orange-red. They can be used in vases in | | | | from cuttings, there should be no suckers at all. |
| the house throughout the winter to brighten the | | | | But many roses we buy have been grafted to a |
| decor. | | | | stronger root stock and sometimes this root |
| At this time of year, you might find a beautiful | | | | stock will send out suckers. Any suckers from |
| flower on some plant in your garden and you just | | | | the roots, or from the stem below the graft, |
| want to save the seed. Tie a piece of string | | | | should be removed as far below the surface of |
| around the stem so you can identify it later and | | | | the soil as possible carefully. (You may wish you |
| very carefully remove the other flowers from | | | | could remove other suckers from your life as |
| the plant as they fade. Then, when the seed is | | | | easily as with your gardening. |
| ready, you can cut the stem bearing the seed. | | | | Also, at this time, rose budding can be done. It is |
| After leaving it in a warm dry place for a few | | | | a very interesting project. There are many points |
| days, carefully seperate out the seeds and put | | | | to learn and do. These are: the right stage at |
| them away for another day. They should be kept | | | | which to take a bud, how to trim the bud, how to |
| perfectly dry. This is one technique towards | | | | make the cut for the bud and where, how to |
| creating your own special garden and an | | | | insert the bud and how to secure it. This topic will |
| interesting gardening technique as well. | | | | be covered in our gardening tips more fully at |
| In some cases, it is a good plan to sow seed as | | | | another time. |