It's Summer!

The weather is beautiful outside! Sunny with a slight breeze. However, the forecast for the next several days calls for rain but that is a good thing. We need the water.

In this weeks gardening e-newsletter, there was an observation that made me pause for a moment and reflect. Janet made a comment that she couldn't understand why people were in such a hurry to get their planting done. She enjoys planting things all during the season. It's true that there are some things that need to get into the ground in Michigan especially vegetables like tomatoes. But that doesn't mean the all of the annuals and perennials need to be put in by June.

Nurseries in Michigan tend to sell out of their annuals by the end of June and even then they are starting to be pot bound. Any annuals that can be found after this time are often in larger pots and are expensive. Does this leave the passionate but frugal gardener in the position of starting annuals indoors at a later date?

There are many "chores" that Ken and I have been able to do the last few days since the weather has been pleasant. Ken weeded an area in the large back flower bed and put newspaper and cocoa mulch in it. The columbines are done flowering and are producing seeds but the Stella d'Oro daylillies are in full bloom. Even though I thinned out the daylilly garden last year, it has totally filled in again. This fall, I'm going to have to dig out and divide all of the plants in that bed. I'm going to keep a record of where the different types of daylillies are in the bed so that I can replant the ones that I like the best.