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Preparing For July And August In Your Garden

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Prepare yourself for a bit more heat in July and August, which are often Utah's hottest months. My garden made it through June quite well, and I had to do some extra hand watering to supplement the more programmed watering schedule I use.

My lettuce survived nicely, but my spinach and radishes flowered early as the heat triggered the normal bolting response. I even selected more heat-tolerant types this year, but the weather conditions were just too much for those plants. 

Keep up on your irrigation. My beans, tomatoes, peppers, and squash are blooming right now. So, a little extra water can help reduce the amount of flour drop when plants are water-stressed, and flour drop causes productivity loss. 

Supplemental nitrogen is also needed to provide the necessary nutrients to fuel continued vine and plant growth as well as helping fruit sizing. Check plants for aphids and cabbage worms treat if necessary. Early corn should be tasseling. So, a little bit of extra nitrogen can help boost ear size as well. 

Generally, the last day to plant corn is in early to mid-July for a late September harvest. I'm also planting a few more rows of beans. These also take about 60 to 70 days, so don't delay planting those. Finally, garlic should be getting ready to harvest. Pull it up when the plant starts to yellow off a bit.