Has the heat of the summer taken its toll on your garden? If you live in the Southeast, there has been an abundance of rain this season and the water bills have dropped, but don't let this weather fool you - the hottest months are yet to come.

Watering

Remember to water in the early hours of the morning. During that time the earth can consume the water more slowly. If you water during the hot hours of the day, most of the water evaporates. If you water late at night, you run the risk of root rot and fungus. Water one inch every couple of days. This keeps the ground moist, except in those very dry areas where you need to water daily. It is better to water one inch per day than to water for hours once a week. Set a cup directly under your sprinkler and move it when the cup holds one inch of water.

They won't grow as fast as you'd like? Proflowers can help!

Do you have fruit in your garden? Some plants that require a lot of water include; watermelons, tomatoes, grapes, and other melons. You want to water these daily, but do not drown the plants. Tomatoes will rot if water is allowed to stand on the roots.

Rose bushes are a creature all their own. Water these at the base, using a soaker hose if you have one. Getting the leaves wet will turn them yellow.

Mulching

If you have very dry conditions during the summer, add a layer of mulch. Mulch helps to hold the moisture around the plants. Make sure you turn the mulch good, bringing the older mulch to the top. This keeps it from compacting and killing the roots of your plants.

Deadheading and Pruning

Now is the time to deadhead your blooming plants so that they will continue to bloom. You may even want to cut back some of the growth of greenery so that the plant can concentrate its efforts on the blooms and not the growth of the plant.

Geraniums, chrysanthemums, and aster can be pinched back as the blooms begin to lose their color and Iris tubers can be divided now. Prune wisteria tendrils back to 6 inches, for a fuller bush. Remember, in the law of gardening, that if you keep a blooming plant cut short it will bush better. If you want a taller plant, clean out from the bottom.