Watch for Potato Blight

July is when first early potatoes are often ready to harvest, but it is also when potato blight becomes a serious concern.

Potato blight is a fungal disease that first attacks the foliage before spreading into the tubers during wet weather, making potatoes unsuitable for storage and, in severe cases, inedible.

Watch for dark brown or chocolate-colored spots on the leaves. If blight appears, remove all infected foliage immediately and compost it, as the fungus does not survive the composting process. Leave a good layer of soil covering the tubers and wait for dry weather before harvesting.

First and second early potato varieties are generally less susceptible because they mature before blight becomes widespread.

Pick Sweet Peas Regularly and Harvest Garlic and Shallots

Frequent harvesting is the key to extending the flowering season of sweet peas.

Harvest every flower every seven to ten days using clean scissors, cutting stems as long as possible. Remove any seed pods as soon as they appear.

With consistent picking, sweet peas can continue flowering well into September during cooler summers.

Garlic and shallots are generally ready for harvest once their leaves begin turning yellow and flower stalks develop. Onions may require a few additional weeks before they are ready.

Use a garden fork to gently lift the bulbs rather than pulling them by hand. This helps prevent damage to the roots and the basal plate where the roots attach to the bulb.

Brush away excess soil, but leave the foliage and roots attached while the bulbs cure. Dry them thoroughly in a warm, well-ventilated location, on drying racks, or inside a greenhouse. Once completely cured after several weeks, trim the tops and roots before storing.

Cut Long Grass

By late July, the foliage of spring-flowering bulbs has usually died back completely, making it safe to mow or cut long grass without affecting next year’s blooms.

Some gardeners wait until August to allow wildflowers to finish setting seed, but by the end of July most wildflower meadows can be safely cut.

After mowing, rake up and remove every grass clipping for composting. Leaving cut grass on the ground enriches the soil, encouraging grasses to outcompete wildflowers and reducing next year’s floral display.

Garden Taxes

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