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Summer Gardening Stories

Harvesting and Storing Garden Vegetables

Nothing beats fresh-picked vegetables picked from the garden, but timing is everything! Harvesting at the right stage is essential – proper storage will help maintain homegrown freshness. Some crops are best harvested frequently while still immature, while others need to mature as long as possible. Crops also vary in their optimal storage requirements; some do best in cold, moist storage; others do best in dry storage. The following crops are grouped by similarity of storage […]
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Tomato Troubles

Despite the endless list of potential problems, tomatoes continue to be the most popular plant in Midwest vegetable gardens. Many tomato problems are related to environmental factors such as temperature and moisture, rather than insects or disease. The most common tomato affliction is blossom-end rot, so named for the black, leathery scar that occurs on the blossom end, instead of the stem end, of the fruit. Blossom-end rot most frequently occurs when there are extremes […]
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Off with their heads!

Removing spent blossoms from your shrubs and garden flowers can be tedious work, but often pays big dividends. The removal of spent flowers is often referred to as “deadheading.” Pinching or pruning off dead flowers is not just a matter of aesthetics – it can also encourage additional blooming. Many plants – petunia, geranium, marigold, speedwell, and coreopsis, among them – will re-bloom after deadheading. For these plants, the formation of fruit and seed signals […]
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Stressed plants may look like early fall

To state the obvious, many of our landscape plants really show the signs of excessive heat and extreme drought. Some trees are losing leaves already and may be turning color before they drop. Others have turned completely brown while still remaining attached. Early fall color and/or defoliation is common when plants are under stress and this season has been quite challenging for many trees, both old and young. The intense heat made it difficult for […]
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Heat Wave Plus Drought Equals Double Whammy for Gardeners

The early arrival of summer’s extreme heat coupled with drought for many weeks now is tough on garden plants as well as their caretakers. Just as flowers and landscape plants have been gasping for water in much of the state, some vegetable crops are also struggling to stay productive. Tomatoes, peppers, melons, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers and green beans typically drop their blossoms without setting fruit when day temperatures are above 90 F, even if not […]
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In Times of Drought

Dry summers are not that unusual in the Midwest, but this year’s dry spell – and now drought in many areas – has come considerably earlier than usual. Summer is just now officially getting started! Gardeners have a battle on their hands to keep plants healthy when extremely high temperatures are accompanied by lack of rain. During prolonged drought conditions, water restrictions or just limited ability to water to a huge number of plants, you […]
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Stressed Plants May Look Like Early Fall

Many of our landscape plants are under stress this summer from one or more factors, including excessive heat and humidity, insect feeding, disease infection, and depending on location and timing, drought and/or excessive rains, wind and hail. Some trees are already losing leaves, and leaves may be turning color before they drop. Early defoliation is common when plants are under stress, and this season has been quite challenging for many trees, both old and young. […]
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Weeding Is Good Exercise

No matter if the weather is cool or hot or wet or dry, gardeners must do battle with weeds. Despite having a number of weapons to fight this battle, this year the weeds have won the war at my place. Between torrential rains, heat waves and ravenous mosquitoes, I must confess to nearly giving up. But I have renewed my efforts by putting myself on a weeding exercise schedule. That’s right, weeding is good exercise! […]
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Watering 101

Although recent rains have relieved many gardeners from their watering chores, the respite is sure to be temporary. Seasonal thunderstorms may deluge some gardens with water while other areas, even those close by, may stay fairly dry. Most garden plants will need 1-1.5 inches of water per week to maintain healthy leaves, flowers and fruit. When Mother Nature does not provide enough, it’s up to the gardener to supply the rest. When you do need […]
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Consider Garden Mums for Fall Color

While many of summer’s perennials are winding down for autumn, you can refresh your garden’s color with garden mums. Colors ranges from many shades of yellow, orange, red, purple, bronze, pink and white. The flowers themselves come in many different forms, from spider types with long, narrow petals to cushion types that have wider, more compact flowers. Some mums are bred as outdoor garden plants, but many are bred as florist-potted plants, meant to be […]
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Page last modified: November 17, 2025

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