Enjoy those pretty blue skies

The pictured lilies are from bulbs I ordered many years ago. There must be others who grow these locally, but I’ve never seen any. These are the yellow ones. I have some which bloom a bit later and are a peach color.

Another month is flying by. Have you ever wondered why the winter months go by so much slower than the summer ones? There’s something wrong there, huh?

In case you’re sitting in the shade with nothing to do … let me see if I can help you with that.

The first chore that comes to mind is dividing your primroses. This needs to happen every three or four years. After digging, just pull the individual plants apart. Toss those with thick old roots, dig in some balanced fertilizer, and replant as many of the young ones as you have room for. These are very hardy perennials and bloom in cool weather which we have in early spring and late fall.

If you haven’t cut back those petunia plants, do it soon. Give them a dose of “blooming” fertilizer, meaning one with a high middle number. Your petunias will continue to bloom until cut down by cold weather.

As for the butterflies, I’m seeing mostly yellow swallowtails and painted ladies. This last one is sometimes confused with monarchs. Their coloring is similar, but if you compare pictures of them side by side, you’ll see quite a bit of difference.

Bee balm is a great perennial to have. It has started blooming and will continue for quite a long time. Watch them for signs of powdery mildew and spray if needed. Preventive spraying is even better.

Ten of the best pollinator plants include: phlox, cardinal flower, aster, coneflower, Joe Pye weed, liatris, sunflowers, goldenrod, blackeyed Susans and bee balm. These are especially nice to have if you’re growing a garden. They attract hummingbirds, butterflies, honey bees and many others.

Raspberry picking season arrived in early July. My biggest problem is getting the raspberries to the house before they get eaten … by me! Be sure to give them plenty of water at this time unless you want “dried fruit.”

To keep those pretty roses blooming, be sure to give them a dose of fertilizer every few weeks. They’ll appreciate it and you’ll get to continue enjoying their blossoms. If you want to add more roses to your yard, you might want to try some of those that are grown on their own roots instead of being grafted onto a different rootstock. These plants are tougher than originally thought.

I really hate to say this, but I’m kind of hoping for a few rainy days. Why? Because I’m getting way behind on my housework!

- • •

Elaine Cerny has gardened most of her life, starting in 4-H. She has belonged to garden clubs in three states and is currently serving as secretary for the River City Gardeners Club in Post Falls. Her column appears in the Press every other Sunday from early March to late October.