- Remove weeds that develop in beds and turf while they’re young.
- Collect design ideas by taking a garden tour or walking through neighbourhoods.
- Cut back yellowing and browning foliage of bulbs such as daffodils.
- Deadhead annuals and roses to promote more blooms.
- Train climbing vines such as clematis and honeysuckle. Cut back the tips of quick-growing vines such as wisteria and hops.
- Freshen planters by adding pollinator-friendly favourites such as zinnias and heliotrope.
- Monitor for insect pests and disease, especially Japanese beetles, and act quickly to control them early.
- Plant a late summer crop of spinach, beets or arugula.
- Harvest fast-growing herbs such as basil and preserve chopped leaves by drying or by freezing them in ice cube trays.
- Water the garden and containers responsibly: draw rainwater regularly from rain barrels.
Photo: Metaphoricalplatypus/Flickr
