July

We water the plants more often, first checking the soil on the surface of the pot. We can “corner” indoor plants that have grown unevenly to correct their shape. Do not do deep pruning at this time. Due to the intense heat, we make sure to protect our plants from the hot sun. Even plants that love and tolerate the sun will suffer unimaginably from such high temperatures. For this reason, we move the pots to corners that are protected from the midday sun, at least for as many days as the heat lasts. We water more often, on very hot days some pots may need daily watering. Always check the surface of the soil before watering. We often spray or water our plants in the early morning or afternoon. Do not water the plants while the sun is facing them (unless there is a special reason such as four-leaf clover) because their leaves may burn. We ‘prun’ annual flowers such as petunias to correct their uneven growth and make their shape more compact. We also “plump” the chrysanthemums in order to prepare the shape they will have when they bloom in the fall. Cut the dried flowers from the lilacs, rhododendrons and climbing roses. Do not do deep pruning at this time. If we are growing aromatics for cooking such as mint, basil and dill, etc., we cut the tops before they flower to encourage the growth of new shoots. For the drying of aromatic plants we start the collection of various plant parts in this period.