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Tater Tot and a perennial raised garden bed. @jim.charlier ’s directive. 

"Sometimes I wonder what I'm a-gonna do

'Cause there ain't no cure for the summertime blues."

Ray Edward "Eddie" Cochran (1938 – 1960)

American rock and roll musician

What causes the summertime blues in Florida? The heat and humidity? This year’s El Nino lack of rain? I know… weeds love summer. This is the time of year to take it a little easy in our gardens. To not sweat the small stuff. So, here’s my advice for a carefree summer in the garden.

− Herbicides should not be used when temperatures average 85 degrees or higher. Herbicides are ineffective against weeds when temperatures skyrocket and can damage or kill turfgrass instead. 

− Keep on top of annual summer weeds like crabgrass, Florida pusley, chamberbitter, sandspur, spotted spurge, and doveweed by hand pulling. If you can’t pull it out, just keep weeds mowed so they don’t flower and go to seed. 

− Make sure your garden beds have at least 3” of mulch to prevent weeds from germinating. 

− If you get an inch or more of rain a week, there is no reason to irrigate. Take advantage of the summertime rains is to wean your turf off irrigation. Just turn your irrigation off! 

Lizzie Steele is the talented and brilliant producer of Better Lawns and Gardens each week. Expressing her point of view comes easy to this blonde mother and wife, turkey whisperer, and gardener. Her adventures will have you smiling and laughing. Lizzie is going to fill you in on her adventures. Take a peek at her latest acquisition. Wanna take bets that it’s still around at Thanksgiving?  Follow Lizzie on Facebook and Instagram. 

Want an exquisite, heat-tolerant, and care-free perennial for full and partial sun areas? Check out my “Plant of the Month". Elegant and low-maintenance and will make your garden a showcase of beauty. Plus, when the blooms fade, and the seedpods fall, you can spray-paint them in time for the Fourth of July fireworks! 

Credit: www.pintyplus.co.uk, Pinterest

Does your landscape have you feeling like it’s all downhill from here? Don’t know what to do with your backyard that has you running down to the bottom? My design tip gives you some ideas how to level the playing field! You can read them here.: 

I have added another edition of “Landscape Malpractice: How to Tell When You Need To Fire Your Landscaper #26." It’s right out of Whoville. 

In Florida you can plant flowers, herbs, shrubs, trees, and vegetables year-round. The secret is to know what to plant when. I’ve included my planting lists and what to do in your landscape in the month of June! 

Tony (my husband) and I are working with Art in Bloom Garden Tours, creating one of the most exciting garden experiences for next July 2025. It’s a 5-day/4-night garden tour of hundreds of private gardens, a trip to the gardens of Niagara Falls-Canadian side, a Frank Lloyd Wright home and Art Deco community, trial gardens, and more. If you would like to come with us, I promise you won’t be disappointed. I’m putting a list together of interested garden enthusiasts. Let me know if you are one of them!  

I hope your summertime blues come in the form of ocean blue, blue skies, blueberries, blue flowers, blue herons, blue springs, rainfall, and no weeds. Enjoy the summer – it’s going to be with us for the next four months!