Let’s see – the planting is finished, the mulching has been done… So what else can you do for the garden in the heat of the summer? I’ll tell you – there’s plenty you can be doing to give your garden the best season as possible.

Firstly, be sure that you’re harvesting the fruits off your vegetable plants. Keeping fruit on the branches not only stresses out the plant by forcing out extra energy, it also weighs down the branches, making it easier for the plants to break – and that will really stress the plant out.

Moving on to the annuals and perennials. Make sure you’re trimming back the wilting flowers on annuals like New Guinea impatiens and petunias to keep them blooming at their best.

If your lawn is looking a little worse for wear, hit it with some lawn fertilizer. If you’re using the Scotts program, Step 3 is the product to use this time of year. It’ll help keep your lawn full and green for the summer.

This may seem obvious but…water, water, water! Massachusetts is currently in the middle of a drought, and this summer is shaping up to be a very hot one. To ensure your plants, trees, and shrubs are well-watered, we recommend watering about twice a day – once in the morning, and once in the evening. For newly planted trees, try a Tree Gator to help the new roots get established for the next season. We can’t express enough how essential water is to making your garden thrive and bloom.