Weed, Weed, Weed Summer weeds are in full swing now, so try to
stay ahead of them. Spend just 15 minutes per day weeding, and
you'll be surprised at how much you can get done. Don't wait, or
you may end up needing to take a week's vacation from work just
to catch up. Use Fabric to Tie Plants Tear up an old T-shirt or
other soft fabric into strips (or use purchased plant ties) to
bind climbing roses, tomatoes, and vines to their supports.
Twine or wire will almost certainly damage plant stems, inviting
disease. Remove Spent Rose Blooms Deadhead roses (prune off
spent blooms) to encourage plants to produce more flowers. Some
types of roses have a relatively limited flowering period, while
others will continue to bloom all summer long. In either case,
it's best to deadhead to keep plants looking healthy. Water New
Plants The most common cause of failure in new plants is lack of
water. Be sure to water new transplants and newly planted trees
and shrubs frequently until they get established. During hot,
sunny weat