Summer preparations

We've been lucky to avoid the worst that the so-called "heat dome" delivered to areas of California this week as we were insulated by our persistent morning marine layer.  With temperatures no higher than the low 70sF, I've been able to tackle one of my most dreaded projects: clearing the raised planters in my cutting garden to prepare the way for summer flowers.  Last week, they were still crammed with spring bloomers, even though the plants were looking sadder with each passing day.

Here are two "before" photos taken in May:

This photo was taken on May 3rd

 

And this one, pointed in the opposite direction, was taken on May 27th

The process of removing all (or most) of the spring flowering plants was harder than it could have been.  When I planted my foxglove plugs and anemone bulbs and sowed seeds of larkspur (Consolida ajacis), love-in-a-mist (Nigella papillosa), and sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) last November, I laid down hardware cloth to keep critters from digging in the beds.  The plastic-coated metal screening material, secured in place by a ridiculous number of lawn pins, was effective for that purpose but they posed challenges when it came to weeding the beds and were even more troublesome when it came time to pull everything out.  Adding to the chore of sweeping the beds clear of the plants was the fact that I couldn't bring myself to throw out all the flowers that were still in good shape.  I cut a lot of flowers to give away, as well as reserving some for my personal use in vases.

This was my first offering to my neighbors last weekend.  I gave away more sweet peas this week when I cleared that bed but didn't take a photo.

 

I couldn't help filling a final vase with sweet peas for myself

I can't claim to be done with my summer preparations as there are dahlias to plant and seeds to sow but at least the beds are mostly clear.

I left a few things in the beds, at least for now.  There are 2 Tanacetum parthenium in the bed in the foreground, as well as a very happy 'Honeybells' Cuphea.  I also left one foxglove in place in the middle bed.  As a side note, while my peach foxgloves did well, the mix I planted as plugs produced a humongous amount of foliage but few flowers.

The third bed, shown in the foreground from this viewpoint, contains the remnants of a sorry-looking Delphinium that had been swallowed up by the sweet peas.  I may leave it to see if it rebounds, provided space permits.  Two gladiolas I thought I removed last year have also popped up but they'll probably go when I dig in the planting mix to refresh the bed.

My dahlia tubers have been in temporary posts since April,  Of the twenty-three I potted up, seventeen have since sprouted.

I potted 6 new tubers but the rest were saved as divisions last year.  I gave half a dozen more tubers to a neighbor and still have several duplicates in the garage I haven't done anything with and probably won't attempt to sprout.

Thus far, all but 6 of the tubers have sprouted.  The 6 include 2 'Enchantress', 2 'Belle of Barmera', a 'Lavender Ruffles', and one (of 2) 'Fairway Spur', all divisions of last year's tubers.   

So far, I've only planted two of the sprouted tubers, with another slated to go into a barrel in the front garden.

One (of 2) Dahlia 'Catching Fire' is planted in a barrel in the cutting garden (left).  I embellished it with Impatiens 'Sunpatiens Compact White', Pelargonium peltatum 'Ivy League Red', and Verbena 'Wicked Rad Red'.  I planted Dahlia 'Break Out' in a large pot on the back patio (right).  Dahlia 'Labyrinth' (not shown) is intended for a barrel in the front garden.

Once I dig fresh planting mix and worm castings into the raised planters, the rest of the dahlias will go in there, followed by six Rudbeckia 'Sahara' plugs I acquired by mail order and potted up a few weeks ago.  They'll be followed by as many Zinnia seeds as I can fit in between everything else.  I can't seem to help myself when it comes to cramming these beds but I nonetheless hope to give all the summer blooms adequate breathing space.

The fact that I made an impromptu purchase of another dahlia on Wednesday when I picked up planting mix may not be a good sign that I'll stick with that plan, though.

I passed by this potted 'Vancouver' Dahlia at my local garden center twice before I caved in and placed it on my cart.  Heck, it was the only one they had and its color is similar to that of 'Enchantress', which apparently has decided not to return this year.  How could I pass it up?! 

Best wishes for a pleasant weekend!

All material © 2012-2024 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party