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After a feverish month of exhausting, but rewarding, work most of us have our gar- dens shaped up and growing. Now what? What can we do to ensure that our gardens are successful? It's also an important time to look around and reflect on what has been accomplished or can be improved. What should we be doing to keep our gar- dens looking their best? It seems everyone hates weeding but it's a necessity. It not only makes our gardens look more attractive, it helps fight off insects and disease. If done correctly, and not perceived as a chore, it's really not that bad. First, if you do a little weeding every day, 5 to 10 minutes, it doesn't seem like work at all. Also, if you just take the time to soak in the beauty and tranquil- ity around you, it's quite relaxing. It's a great time for contemplation. Weeding also makes you spend time in your garden. Why is this good? It helps us keep an eye on our plants and confront any problems that may occur. This is called scouting. Whether you see insects chewing on a plant, spots developing on leaves, bro- ken branches, plants getting too large for their spot or just eyeing up a plant that doesn't look healthy, it's better to catch it early and take care of the problem before it worsens. Sometimes it can be as simple as a plant needing more fertilizer or a little care. This is also a great time to look around and see if your gardens are performing the way you intended. Are you lacking color somewhere? Is this particular bed to crowd- ed? Have some of the plants become over- grown? Is there still space left in the veg- etable garden? Now is a great time to cor- rect things. If you're lacking color somewhere, head to a garden center and pick up some annu- als or flowering perennials for a quick fix. Annuals are great additions for those areas that need immediate color without taking up permanent space. If you have room for something permanent, maybe choose a flowering perennial to fit your needs. Maybe you've noticed a bed that is becom- ing crowded or overgrown. Take notes of the problem areas so you can rectify the problems either in the fall or next spring. I usually don't recommend moving plants around in the summer because of stress. I also don't recommend a lot of summer pruning on trees and shrubs; it opens up wounds to insects and disease, but perenni- als can be maintained as needed to encour- age health and re-bloom. Also take a look at the vegetable garden. Is there room for more or do you want to start a second crop of something? Most gar- den centers have some pretty good sales on remaining vegetables at this time. In the last article I talked about intercropping in the vegetable garden; here's a great time to fill those open spaces and make the most of your growing space. Summer is not only garden maintenance, although important, but is also a time of contemplation and review to improve your overall gardening goals. So, get out there and spend some time in your gardens. Happy gardening! (Michael Timm is a horticulturist with Ebert's Greenhouse Village in Ixonia.) The gardens are in — now what? JUNE 2017 HOMES PLUS 5 ARE YOU READY FOR THE SUMMER HEAT? Stay cool this summer with these GREAT deals! CALL AND SCHEDULE YOURS TODAY! Dousman • 262.468.6683 255569001 +tax FREE ESTIMATE NEW AIR CONDITIONER INSTALLATION 10 YEAR WARRANTY Off Expires 7/1/17 Expires 7/1/17 MICHAEL TIMM Michael Timm Once the garden is planted, don't forget to enjoy the view provided by your labor, such as these yellow German irises. Michael Timm Lupines such as these might inspire thoughts of dividing or pairing with other plants.

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