It's 'growing time'
So, here we are in June. Growing season is in full bloom. It seemed that we waited a time for it to get here as that was a long winter.
All you veggie gardeners are tasting your first veggies. My lettuce has been yummy. As long as you keep everything watered, you should have some great crops with all the warm days we've been having.
As for the perennials, they've really been showing their stuff lately. Yards are bursting with peonies, irises, poppies and many more. Most of these can be divided later on, if necessary. I do my irises in mid to late July. As they're so shallow-rooted, they need more time to settle in than most perennials do.
A reminder for those of you with cherry trees. Be sure to spray them as needed. Biting into a wormy cherry is not something you'll want to do very often. Robins might think they're tasty, but the rest of us would rather pass.
Have you started a compost pile? If not, it's pretty easy. Pick an out-of-the-way area and start tossing in things like lawn clippings, weeds, (without seeds), fruit and vegetable peeling and eggshells from the kitchen. Avoid things like grass clippings that have been treated with a weed and feed product, meat and any animal waste. Turn the pile now and then before long you'll have some “black gold.”
Pruning time for lilacs will soon come to a close. Do it soon or postpone it until next year if you don't want to cut off next spring's blooms.
Always keep in mind, the rule regarding pruning: Never prune off more than one-third of any plant at any one time. Serious damage can result if more is cut. This applies to all plants ranging from a little annual to a large tree.
Do you know how to tell the current temperature by counting the chirps of a cricket? Just count the number of chirps in 14 seconds, add 40 and you'll get the temperature — 70.
A lot of us enjoy watching the hummingbirds at our feeders. If your birds have suddenly disappeared, don't worry, that's normal as they like to head up to the mountains to nest about now. Don't worry, they'll be back in late summer.
Some people enjoy growing and eating garlic. Here's one for them: A nickel may get you ON the subway, but garlic will get you a seat!
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Elaine Cerny has gardened most of her life, starting in 4-H. She has belonged to garden clubs in three states and is an active member of the River City Gardeners Club in Post Falls. Her column has appeared in The Press every other Sunday from early March to late October for the past 15 years.
