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With an 8-inch bar, the DeWalt 20V MAX 8 in Brushless Cordless Pruning Chainsaw is your go-to for smaller jobs around the yard, whether it be pruning small branches or splitting firewood to a better size. Just because it’s small doesn’t mean this DeWalt chainsaw has less power or capabilities. In fact, its power output impressed me (just as every other DeWalt tool does!), and its cutting capabilities were superb.

Although it’s compact and lightweight, I don’t think you can use this chainsaw with one hand. At least I couldn't, and I felt safe and secure. And if I were left-handed, I don’t think I could use this chainsaw comfortably.

I tested all the different features of this chainsaw on the trees in my own backyard and shared my findings below. Keep reading to see who this mini chainsaw ideally suits and why it’s one of the best chainsaws to have on hand.

(Image credit: Future)DeWalt DCCS623B: Key specs

Model no.:

DCCS623L1

Fuel/power source:

20V battery

Maximum cutting thickness:

8 inches

Size/dimensions:

20.5 x 9.5 x 4 in

Bar length:

8 in.

Weight (with battery):

8.4 lbs

(Image credit: Future)DeWalt DCCS623B: Price & availability

Although this is a pretty small chainsaw, don’t expect it to come cheap. The DeWalt 20V MAX 8 in Brushless Cordless Pruning Chainsaw is sold for about $229 with the battery and charger included, but you can buy it without the battery for $144. Oil is not included with the purchase of this chainsaw.

It’s not sold on the DeWalt site, but if you click “Buy Now,” you can see that this tool is sold through reseller sites such as Amazon and Home Depot.

The price tag on this tool doesn’t surprise me. DeWalt is a little pricier than most brands, but that's because the quality of the tools they produce.

Score: 8 out of 10

(Image credit: Future)DeWalt DCCS623B: Setup

Upon removing the DeWalt 20V MAX 8 in Brushless Cordless Pruning Chainsaw from its cardboard box, I thought it was quite compact. It came fully assembled with a sheath over the 8-inch bar.

At first, I thought the chainsaw could be used one-handed, but when I picked it up, I realized that due to the positioning of the triggers and the weight, I could not safely use it with one hand. Maybe someone with a larger hand and stronger than me could, but that's still pushing it.

The chainsaw came with a 20V battery and charger. The battery took about three hours to charge fully. No oil was provided, so I used some oil that I had on hand to fill the small oil container.

I also noticed right away that the chainsaw didn’t have a kickback brake but, rather, was outfitted with a tip guard. This was the first chainsaw I would be testing with a tip guard.

Score: 7 out of 10

(Image credit: Future)DeWalt DCCS623B: Design

While the DeWalt 20V MAX 8 in Brushless Cordless Pruning Chainsaw is compact and lightweight, it’s not light enough to comfortably hold it with only one hand. That being said, the hand grip is comfortable and has a trigger. There is a button on the left side, above the trigger. The button and the trigger must be pushed and pulled simultaneously to start the machine. Unfortunately, because the button is on the left side, it is unlikely that a left-handed person could use this tool (unless they're willing to hold it like a right-handed person).

(Image credit: Future)

Another handle is placed right on top of the main handle. It’s like an extension of the main handle, only a bit thinner. I wish it were perpendicular to the main handle so I could better place both my hands for a more comfortable and secure grip.

The oil cap is on the left side of the tool's body. There is an opaque viewfinder on the oil chamber, but it’s not clear enough to tell the oil level easily. Not to mention, the oil cap is easy to screw off, but it takes a little bit of finesse to screw it back on.

(Image credit: Future)

The battery is placed at the back of the chainsaw. An eight-inch bar extends out the front. There are some plastic built-in ridges on the front of the chainsaw. They’re a version of bumper spikes.

This chainsaw comes with a sheath that clips together over the bar. Built into the sheath is a spot that holds a tension tool that can be used to adjust the tension of the chain. The DeWalt mini chainsaw doesn’t have a kickback brake. Instead, there is a removable metal tip guard on the front. DeWalt says it’s designed to “provide stability during upcuts.” They can also reduce kickbacks. A lot of people don’t like them because they can get in the way of cutting if you're not used to them.

Score: 8 out of 10

(Image credit: Future)DeWalt DCCS623B: Performance

I was hoping that I could use this mini chainsaw with just one hand. It’s only 8.4 lbs., but I could tell right away that using only one hand would be a bad idea.

After fitting the battery to the chainsaw, I took it into my backyard and found a variety of limbs, branches, and logs that ranged from 1.5 to 7 inches in diameter. The chainsaw didn’t vibrate that much in my hand, and it had an 84-decibel output, which is about what I expect from battery-powered chainsaws.

(Image credit: Alex Temblador )

I started by cutting some trees between 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) in width and was amazed by the quality. Every time I use a DeWalt product, they’ve been consistent in great power output. This mini chainsaw was no different. It sliced through trees with ease and little effort on my part. I only had to guide the chainsaw, and it did all the work for me. This surprised me a bit because the chainsaw only uses a 20V battery. That goes to show that you don’t always need a 40V or 60V battery to get good performance.

The chainsaw also did well with logs and larger branches, as long as they were less than 8 inches, of course. For smaller branches, I had to use the chainsaw on the part of the limb closest to the trunk.

(Image credit: Future)

Like I said, I wish I could have used this chainsaw with one hand, but I found it a lot more comfortable to use two hands because I had more control. There is a second handle above the main one, but it didn’t feel comfortable to put my left hand there for control, so I put it on the main handle. Perhaps if that second handle were perpendicular to the main handle, it would have made for a better design.

The plastic bumper spikes were really not noticeable. I don’t think they make much difference in my control of the chainsaw. The tip guard didn’t get in my way when cutting, perhaps because I was mindful of it. If I had cut anything that was exactly 8 inches, it might have been a slight issue, but I mostly cut things that were 7 inches or smaller.

If you’re looking for a small chainsaw to do quick jobs around the yard, this DeWalt mini chainsaw is a great choice. The battery lasts a long time, and the tool itself cuts quickly and smoothly. Once again, I’m impressed with DeWalt.

Score: 8 out of 10

Should you buy the DeWalt DCCS623B?Score Card

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Price & availability

Price reflects the brand and performance, but somewhat pricey for a small chainsaw; sold at Amazon, Home Depot, etc.

8/10

Setup

Compact, fully assembled, weight concerns

7/10

Design

Mini chainsaw with an 8-inch bar that isn’t suitable to left-handed folks

8/10

Performance

Great power output cutting through limbs, trees, and logs less than 8 inches. Better to use two hands to control.

8/10

 Buy it if… 

You need a chainsaw for smaller jobs

This chainsaw has an 8-inch bar, meaning it can cut anything that’s eight inches or less in diameter. It's the perfect tool for small jobs.

You like the eco-friendliness of a battery-powered chainsaw

Say no to noise and air pollution with a battery-powered chainsaw like this DeWalt chainsaw. Plus, having a battery means it’s quicker to start up.

You want a smaller chainsaw with great power output

Just because the chainsaw is small, doesn’t mean it’s “weaker” in power. Like the other battery-powered DeWalt products I’ve tried, this mini chainsaw has great power output that helps it to more easily slice through tree limbs and logs with little effort.

 Don’t buy it if…  

You want better safety features

While it does have a two-trigger button system, it lacks a kickback brake that engages if the chainsaw should kickback. The tip guard on the bar is helpful in preventing kickback but it can kind of get in the way when you’re cutting. Even an additional power button would provide an extra level of safety.

You are left-handed

This mini chainsaw has a two-trigger system – a button and a trigger. Unfortunately, the button is on the right side of the handle so if you tried to hold the chainsaw with your left hand, you couldn’t push the button with your pinky finger (or at least, it’d be difficult to do).

You’re on a budget

You can absolutely find chainsaws of this size for much cheaper. There are even some larger chainsaws that are priced the same as this smaller one.

How does the DeWalt DCCS623B compare?

If you want a small chainsaw but one that can tackle small to medium jobs, go for the DeWalt 20V Max XR DCCS620P1 12 in Battery Chainsaw, available on Amazon. The 12-inch bar means you can handle larger tree limbs. Plus, it has a kickback brake and is only $30 more.

The Zeeksaw 8-inch Cordless Mini Chainsaw, available on Amazon, also has an eight-inch bar, but it’s designed to be held with one hand. It doesn’t hurt that the chainsaw has a built-in tension tool and is way cheaper, to boot.

Let’s say you don’t necessarily need an 8-inch bar. If you have small jobs, go for the Milwaukee M12 Fuel Hatchet on Amazon. The lightweight chainsaw has a built-in tensioner and can cut tree limbs less than 6 inches in diameter. Unfortunately, it’s a bit expensive for such a small chainsaw.

How I tested the DeWalt DCCS623B

I tested the DeWalt 20V MAX 8in Brushless Cordless Pruning Chainsaw in my backyard a few times. It’s the fifth chainsaw I’ve tested and the smallest one. I made sure to test it on trees and pre-cut logs that were less than 8 inches in diameter. Every element of the chainsaw was tested to provide a full review.

• First reviewed: January 2024

For the homeowners of Kinglet Perch, the site was both the attraction and the problem. After moving from northern Canada to the Okanagan, they had fallen for a steep Naramata hillside lot for its ponderosa pines, rocky terrain, ancient lichens and views stretching across the lake.

“They wanted somewhere that was comfortable, where they could just live in the landscape,” says Will Green of sg_architecture. But the qualities that made the 2.52-acre property so compelling also made it difficult to build on. The steep lot had limited buildable space at its peak, while blasting a driveway to a lower, flatter level would have meant removing existing trees and altering the terrain — the very qualities that drew them there in the first place.

For Green and co-principal Warren Sanders, who both grew up in the B.C. Interior, the challenge was how to design a home that could stand up to the Okanagan’s semi-arid climate without standing too heavily on the site. And in some places, that meant barely standing on it at all.

Conceived as an inhabited bridge, the 2,700-square-foot home cantilevers 48 feet from the slope. It’s a bold move, but Green says it was never about visual impact alone. “A lot of clients see it as just an expressive thing, but a lot of it’s really a way of navigating steep terrain in an efficient way,” he says.

For the cantilevered portion, the architects started with an area of the site that had already been disturbed. “When the development was put in, there was a pad at the top that was left,” explains Sanders, “so that made it a logical place to take off from because we weren’t disturbing any more of the site.” From that upper pad, the primary volume projects out over the slope. Below, a V-strut system anchors to a rock point and supports the cantilever while limiting the structure’s contact with the land, touching down at just two points.

“We wanted to minimize where we touched down on the rock,” says Green, who recalls working through nearly 25 options with their structural engineer. “This came out as one of the more elegant, cost-effective versions.”

That same balancing act guided the material palette, with a resilient exterior around a warmer interior. “I grew up watching the 2003 fires on Okanagan Mountain Park and into Kelowna,” says Green. “So we approach a lot of our buildings with a hard exterior that is wildfire resilient and then a soft interior that’s protected by that.”

The base of the building is constructed from concrete, while the upper volumes are clad in non-combustible white stucco and weathering steel. Wood was reserved for the interior, where pale hemlock ceilings and soffits add warmth without taking on the same exposure to the elements as the facade.

From the road, the house doesn’t give much away. Its street-facing side feels private and understated, with few openings and a hard shell of white stucco revealing little of what happens inside.

From the entry, that opacity begins to soften. The view unfolds gradually, first as a glimpse through the central courtyard, then fully as the path wraps around the outdoor room and leads into the main living spaces at the end of the cantilever, where sliding glass doors open to a patio and views across Okanagan Lake, past Penticton and beyond.

“You really don’t appreciate what that house is going to do [until] you get to the end,” says Green. “As you come out past the kitchen into the living room, you realize you’re out there and flying in the air.”

But those sweeping views also came with solar exposure. Broad overhangs along the patios’ south and west-facing edges act “like a brim of a hat,” Green says, helping shield the glazing from high-angle summer sun while allowing lower seasonal sun and light to pass through during cooler months. The central courtyard offers another sheltered outdoor retreat, giving the homeowners a place to be outside away from the full force of the afternoon heat.

Sanders later had the chance to spend a night at the completed home with his daughter. Watching her take in the lake and landscape gave him a new perspective on the home he had helped bring to life through drawings, details and construction.

“The evenings are magical,” he says. “You can see the lights of Penticton in the far-off distance and some of the reflections off the lake.”

At night, as the terrain recedes into darkness, the illuminated volume appears almost detached from the land, like a glowing lantern suspended above the slope.

For all its drama, Sanders hopes the architecture ultimately takes a quieter role in the homeowners’ daily lives. “I hope it’s comfortable and just in the background [while they] live in this place,” he says.

“And experience and get the most out of the site they fell in love with,” adds Green.

Design:sg_architecture

Construction management:Ritchie Custom Homes

Structural engineer: Elemental Consulting

Geotechnical engineer:Rock Glen Consulting

Furnishing consultant:Arcadia Modern Home

Styling:Studio Kaiser

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Every summer, I find myself looking at my lawn and asking the same question: why am I working so hard to keep it green? Surely there has to be a pretty lawn alternative that can do the hard work for me?

Confession time: my lawn is far from a pristine patch of emerald perfection. There’s a well-worn path where the dog charges back and forth, dry patches that appear after every spell of hot weather, and we’re gradually expanding our flower beds to reduce our overreliance on grass. Because, in very hot weather, lawn care is a nightmare to keep on top of.

We all know that traditional lawns are very demanding. And all of that mowing, watering, fertilizing and more feels like a lot of effort for something that offers relatively little back to wildlife compared with a more diverse planting scheme. Especially if it’s all going to go sad, brown, and crispy the moment temperatures climb.

That being said, sometimes you still want a green space for children to play, to spread out a picnic blanket on a summer evening, or just to make your neighbors green with envy over. So, yes, I started avidly researching which lush lawn alternatives that could offer the best of both worlds.

This Pretty Lawn Alternative Laughs Off Heatwaves

If you want the very best lawn alternative out there, microclover is the one that’s caught my attention, and not just because it has the verdant appearance of a traditional lawn. Not, it’s because it is better suited to warmer conditions and requires less maintenance once established.

That’s right; this pretty lawn alternative creates a natural-looking carpet, needs less mowing, helps improve soil health and produces small flowers that are useful for pollinators when allowed to bloom. All of which means, if you’re not ready to dig up your entire lawn (or simply want to make a tired patch more resilient) microclover could be one of the easiest ways to create a greener garden.

Outsidepride Perennial White Miniclover Seed

You only need to add 2-5% of these microclover seeds to your grass seed mixture to see significant improvements in lawn quality.

Microclover is exactly what it sounds like: a smaller-leaved version of white clover that's been bred to create a lawn-like carpet. Unlike standard clover, it blends seamlessly into a landscape, giving you a lush green finish without looking wild or untidy. And, while many traditional cool-season grasses can turn brown during dry spells, microclover often keeps its rich green color for much longer thanks to its deep roots and impressive drought tolerance.

It also grows much more slowly than a typical lawn, which means you'll spend less time pushing a mower around and more time actually enjoying your yard. Like other clovers, too, it captures nitrogen from the air and returns it to the soil, naturally fertilizing itself and even helping nearby grasses if you choose to grow a mixed lawn.

All of which means, yes, less fertilizer and fewer chemicals. Sounds a dream come true, right?

(Image credit: elf911/Getty Images)

If allowed to flower, microclover produces delicate white blooms that become a valuable food source for bees and other pollinators. But, if you prefer the look of a classic lawn, just give it a quick mow before flowering.

Like any living groundcover, it is worth noting that this lawn alternative will appreciate occasional watering during prolonged drought and may not stand up to constant heavy foot traffic quite so well as some turf grasses do. (If your yard doubles as a soccer field every weekend, basically, you may prefer mixing microclover with grass rather than replacing it entirely).

For most family gardens, though, it’s an attractive compromise between a thirsty traditional lawn and a completely natural meadow. And if you aren’t sold? Don’t worry, as I have three more options for you to choose from...

Three More Lawn Alternatives

CREEPING THYME

Loseedsoo 20000+ Creeping Thyme Seeds for Planting

Perfect if you love fragrance as much as flowers, this low-growing groundcover forms a colorful mat that releases a wonderful herbal scent when walked on, thrives in full sun and attracts bees throughout summer. It's best suited to lighter foot traffic and sunny spots.

BUFFALOGRASS

Scotts O.m. Scott & Sons Buffalograss Seed, 0.7 Lb.

Unlike thirsty turf, this native grass thrives in hot conditions, needs far less watering once established and only requires occasional mowing. It creates a low-growing lawn with a prairie feel which means a greener garden without the constant upkeep.

HEAL ALL

Everwilde Farms 2000 Heal All Native Wildflower Seeds

This North American wildflower creates a soft green carpet dotted with purple blooms. It's an excellent choice for wildlife-friendly gardens and happily tolerates mowing, making it a great option if you're after a lawn that feels a little more natural.

As our summers continue to warm, I have a strong suspicion that we’re going to see more gardeners questioning whether a traditional lawn is really worth the effort. And sure, microclover won’t be the right fit for every yard, but for anyone hoping to spend less time mowing and more time enjoying their garden?

Well, it’s a pretty compelling alternative!

Weekly roundup of three properties that recently sold in Metro Vancouver.

729 West 62nd Ave., Vancouver

Type: Five-bedroom, three-bathroom detached

Size: 2,673 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $2,128,000

Listed for: $1,990,000

Sold for: $1,950,000

Sold on: May 12

Days on market in this listing: Six

Listing agent: Danny Chow PREC and Salina Kai PREC at Rennie & Associates Realty

Buyers agent: Neilson Wong at Royal Pacific Realty

The big sell: This five-bedroom detached home resides in the heart of Marpole on a south-facing lot. The two-storey interior offers the main accommodation on the upper floor with three bedrooms served by two bathrooms, a formal dining area with chandelier lighting and stained-glass windows, a living room with a wood-burning fireplace and a front-facing balcony, and a family-sized kitchen and eating area that opens onto an adjacent deck. A bright two-bedroom suite resides on the ground floor through a tiled foyer, with a separate entry and its own laundry facilities. An extra-wide attached garage with lane access provides additional storage for bikes, tools, and gardening equipment. The property is positioned close to its catchment schools of Sir Wilfrid Laurier Elementary and Sir Winston Churchill Secondary, Oak Park, and Marine Gateway.

7656 Main St., Vancouver

Type: Four-bedroom, two-bathroom detached

Size: 1,800 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $1,496,000

Listed for: $1,210,000

Sold for: $1,210,000

Sold on: April 27

Days on market in this listing: Three

Listing agent: Holly Calderwood PREC at Royal Le Page Sussex

Buyers agent: Jay Coupar at eXp Realty

The big sell: According to listing agent Holly Calderwood, this house hit the market as a court ordered sale priced $286,000 below its assessed value. What was on offer was a four-bedroom, two-level house on a west-facing 2,991-square-foot building lot in South Vancouver’s Main Street corridor. Built in 1971, the home resides within RT-2 zoning which potentially allows for the construction of a duplex or a single-family home with a basement suite and a laneway house. There is a two-bedroom suite on the upper floor while the lower level also contains two bedrooms and living accommodation. The main level is currently tenanted on a month-to-month basis The interior had benefited from a number of renovations that were carried out last year including the installation of new laminate floors and doors, updated paintwork, as well as a refurbished bathroom and upstairs kitchen.

22337 Sharpe Ave., Richmond

Type: Three-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse

Size: 1,705 square feet

B.C. Assessment: $979,000

Listed for: $997,000

Sold for: $937,400

Sold on: April 21

Days on market in this listing: 48

Listing agent: Shafik Ladha PREC at ReMax Westcoast

Buyers agent: Michelle Perreault PREC at Stonehaus Realty Corp.

The big sell: The townhouse community of Rosedale Gardens was built in the mid 2000s on the eastern perimeter of Richmond with access to shops, parks and transit highways. This particular home offers more than 1,700 square feet of internal living space coupled with both a balcony and a spacious enclosed patio for outside enjoyment as well as an attached tandem garage with electric vehicle charging. With a layout divided over three floors, the front entrance is accessed up exterior steps and opens into the main floor where there is an open-concept design that flows between the kitchen, dining and living areas. All three bedrooms are located on the top floor alongside a flexible space that offers multiple options. There are modern finishes throughout, dark wood floors on the main level with carpeted bedrooms, and an electric fireplace.

These transactions were compiled by Nicola Way of BestHomesBC.com.

Realtors — send your recent sales to nicola@besthomesbc.com

Learn more about the latest mortgage rates and explore our guide to Canada’s lowest national insured and uninsured mortgage rates, updated daily.Related

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If you have a long, narrow garden, it's likely that your outdoor space feels as if you have far less square footage than you actually do. While the planning stage is important when designing any outdoor space, it's especially important when you're working out how to make the most of a plot that's far longer than it is wide. Because there are plenty of clever ways that landscape designers use to make these corridor backyards feel far larger, that you can achieve yourself.

The challenge with this yard shape is to interrupt the view that runs down the garden to the end of the plot, so everything isn't seen immediately. By not revealing the whole of the garden as one continuous design, you add elements of exploration, surprise and mystery, making a garden more interesting and distracting from the plot's shape.

Reconfiguring the space creatively to offer partial glimpses beyond with carefully conceived sight lines is just the first step. Visual tricks that distort perspective to make the garden feel wider, and draw the eye across the space rather than straight down it, are also key. Using airy plants to create natural screens bring movement as well as staggering views, and dividing a long garden into distinct areas with different purposes brings outdoor living benefits, too.

So, if you're wondering how to design a long narrow garden to make the most of your space, here's all the inspiration you need.

1. Zone the Space to Distract From its Shape

(Image credit: Neil Hepworth/RHS)

Landscape designers often break up a long narrow garden into separate spaces or 'rooms', each with a different purpose such as a dining space and outdoor kitchen (like this design by Will Williams), relaxation area, zone for quiet contemplation, or utility space for tools and a shed. The size and shape of each 'room' should support and reflect the importance of the purpose it will be used for. Alternatively, the different areas can be compartmentalized according to what you grow in them, such as a vegetable garden, shade garden or wildflower patch.

With this style of design, it's really important that you don't fully enclose each 'room' but give a hint at what's going on further down the garden. The open-slat pergola defining the cooking and dining space in this garden is a perfect example. The idea is to create anticipation and offering a distraction from the narrow dimensions, without giving it all away at once.

2. Use Curves to Create a Meandering Journey

(Image credit: Neil Hepworth/RHS)

Another way of breaking up a long narrow plot is to introduce curves like this garden created by landscape designer Tom Hoblyn. An offset winding path in a pale sand or gravel tone is a great way to draw attention away from the linear boundaries and create more of a meandering journey through the garden. The curved theme in this design is continued with flowerbeds and raised beds.

An offset path is an easy idea to replicate, and one of the most effective landscape design tricks for a long, narrow garden. Think about adding a curving path to your garden together with raised beds and flower beds that have curved edges too, so they smudge the straight lines and layer up interest with grasses and tall, airy flowering plants.

Curves slow down movement through any space and create a more naturalistic, fluid, explorative feel compared to a straight view of the garden, too. They work particularly well in a long, narrow garden because your eye will naturally follow the curves from side to side, creating the illusion of wider plot.

3. Repeat Circular Shapes to Bounce the Eye Around

(Image credit: Future)

Circles are often used in rectangular, square and long plots to soften linear boundaries and introduce flow to the design. You can test this out for yourself by looking at this garden for a few moments: it's likely that your gaze from sphere to sphere. You probably looked across the image from fence to fence, too, rather than focusing on the summerhouse at the end of the garden first.

To create this effect in your garden, simply place multiple circular features so they overlap. Incorporate landscape features such as circular lawns, island flowerbeds, dining circles and round patios into the design, then add plants and accessories with circular or spherical shapes. Here, the table and hanging chair add to the strong circular look that's picked up in the planting by globe alliums and clipped evergreen balls.

Stylish Circles

Floral Accent

Textured Outdoor Rug

With its swirling vines and flowers, this outdoor rug will complement your patio, porch or poolside setting. A high-low weave combines textural patterns with an intricately woven base.

Rocking Design

Wicker Swivel Chair

This rocking egg chair is made of wicker with a sturdy iron frame. It's a perfect fit for any space, indoors or out, but particularly in your garden, patio, or balcony for a cozy outdoor oasis.

12 Inch Garden Gazing Ball Light With Remote Control

With 16 different colors to choose from, this garden globe lamp will continue the circular theme after dark. Rated IP44, it's suitable for summer outdoor use only.

4. Downplay Boundaries with a Dark Color

(Image credit: Neil Hepworth/RHS)

When it comes to color ideas for a long narrow garden, consider dark shades for boundary walls and fences, like the one featured in this design by Angus Thompson. Disguising a boundary with dark paint is just one of many clever tricks landscape designers use to make a small garden yard look bigger that you can DIY yourself.

Dark colors absorb light rather than reflecting it, so black or other dark colors visually push back the boundaries of your yard, making the space feel more open. Dark foliage will also contribute to this effect, tricking the eye into thinking a space is bigger than it really is, and this is such an easy way to bring depth and spaciousness to any garden. As well as retreating into the background, a dark boundary will highlight planting, too. For a durable black paint that delivers long-lasting color and protection try Evolve Barn and Fence Black Paint, available here at Amazon.

While black fences blend into the background shadows, making it difficult to see exactly where the garden ends, by contrast light-colored fences clearly define the perimeter of your garden, and draw attention to any limitations. So, by using a lighter tone for the end boundary at the bottom of your garden, too, you'll magically make a long plot appear squarer.

6. Stagger Planting to Create Natural Screens

(Image credit: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images)

Using planting as a screening device on alternating sides of the garden obscures the line of sight, causing the boundaries of a long narrow garden to disappear. It's a form of creative screening that has multiple uses, and no one will have a clue where the garden starts and stops.

It's a case of thinking diagonally. The idea is to alternate wide, generous planting beds with lavish planting on each side of the garden, so your attention moves from side to side. Staggered planting beds will also blur hard boundary edges and restrict views down the garden. It's a good way of including natural landscaping ideas, where everything can become a little more relaxed. Tall but airy plantings of ornamental grasses and flowering perennials such as Gaura 'Whirling Butterflies' will let light pass through so the garden doesn't feel blocked in.

Another method of adding planted dividers to the garden is with trellis ideas that cut across the width of the space. Clothed with fast-growing vines that won't scramble out of control like jasmine and honeysuckle, they'll create leafy screens.

7. Place Containers Strategically to Play With Scale

(Image credit: Sarah Cuttle/RHS)

Pushing plants out to the edges and leaving an elongated rectangle of lawn down the center of the garden simply emphasises its long, narrow shape. Instead, try drawing attention away from the boundary with supersized containers, strategically placed away from the garden edges. Potted up with big shrubs or small multi-stemmed ornamental trees such as Japanese maple, these will be become focus garden features.

There are many beautiful drought-tolerant perennials that thrive in containers, too, or ornamental grasses typically do well in large pots. As they mature, the stems will help to obscure the sight line too. Or how about combining the two, with a small tree underplanted with smaller perennials? Containers are a great opportunity to add plants that you might not want to plant in the ground in a smaller garden, such as this clumping bamboo from Nature Hills. It grows up to 10 feet tall, making it perfect for screening, but flourishes in a container.

Do go big though, as a big plant in a big container plays with the sense of scale in a narrow garden, bringing the vibe of a much larger plot.

Another landscape-designer trick with containers in a long, narrow garden is to place a second pot that's smaller but of the same design closer to the house. Your brain will presume the containers are the same size and your garden will instantly feel shorter and wider.

Small Trees That Are Happy in a Large Container

Two-tone Foliage

Tsuma Gaki Japanese Maple

Tsuma Gaki Japanese Maple has striking two-tone foliage with crimson-tipped lobes year-round, thrives in Zones 5-9, and grows 6-9 feet tall.

Clusters of Fruit

Northpole Columnar Apple

This natural dwarf variety (grows to 10-12 feet) of apple is a fruitful, flowering beauty that adds a focal point to a small garden, sunny balcony or container.

Beautiful Blossom

Snow Fountain® Cherry

With a compact ornamental size, this reaches 8-15 feet tall, and thrives in zones 5-8. It can also be grown in a large container.

8. Create an Inviting Destination Point

(Image credit: Josh Kemp-Smith/RHS)

A common design trick with this shape of garden is, rather than positioning the focal-point outdoor living patio or deck directly next to the house or at the end of the plot, locate it two-thirds of the way down. As well as encouraging your gaze to stop travelling down a long garden at this point, positioning a main seating and relaxation area here, with a comfortable outdoor sofa and a fire pit to gather round, allows you and your family and guests to enjoy several different views of your backyard – all of which are shorter than if you were sitting at either end of it.

Frame the space with a pergola, add a DIY water feature or choose a wow-factor accent plant that landscape designers love, and the destination seating area becomes even more of a garden focus.

The stunning planting and curved seating area in this design by Tina Worboys is the perfect example of how to create a destination seating area that doubles as a garden feature.

It's a good idea to add a further, smaller destination point at the end of the garden, and perhaps one just outside the house, too. These should be quiet, cosy spaces to linger and relax. Think of a nook where you can get away from it all and enjoy a moment's solitude, a surprise element in your garden design that is slowly revealed.

9. Use Repetition to Pull the Design Together

(Image credit: Neil Hepworth/RHS)

Repeating planting, colors, shapes or landscaping materials adds cohesion to any garden, but that's a particularly important factor in a long, narrow garden design, especially if you're compartmentalising it into different zones or 'rooms'. Planting with repetition brings harmony, and is a trick that landscape designers use in practically every garden to pull the design together.

Planting with repetition also punctuates the garden, especially if you combine it with the new color rules used by landscape designers when choosing a planting palette. This encourages you to make connections and pause on your journey through the garden, again creating a meandering path rather than a linear one. As garden design tips go, it's a super-easy technique to capitalise on that will add a professional looking finish, too.

Now find out about the key garden trends for 2026 to give your refreshed garden design the edge.

As summer days pass, blooms in the garden come and go. One of the biggest and most beautiful floral displays each summer comes from hydrangea bushes. These beloved flowering shrubs come in an ever-expanding array of varieties and cultivars. But no matter what type of hydrangea you have in your landscape, eventually their billowy blooms fade.

That’s when the question arises, “Should you cut off dead hydrangea flowers?” Learning how to prune hydrangeas is a vital part of growing thriving shrubs that put out tons of huge blooms year after year. But cutting back plants the wrong way or at the wrong time can hurt your hydrangeas or prevent them from blooming.

Deadheading hydrangeas in summer after they’re done flowering has its benefits, but is it really necessary? I’ll walk you through whether or not you really need to make the cut now and how to do it the right way, if you’re tired of looking at those dead brown blooms.

Why Are My Hydrangea Flowers Turning Brown?

In the middle of summer as temperatures soar, you might notice your hydrangea blooms are starting to turn brown and crispy. This could be a sign that your plants are suffering from heat stress or that it’s time to water your hydrangeas. But sometimes a hydrangea turning brown is just a natural part of its life cycle.

If the only parts of your hydrangea that are dry and brown are the blooms, then your plant is likely finished flowering for the season. In this case, there’s nothing to worry about. The question becomes whether or not you want to leave those faded blooms on your bushes or prune them away for a cleaner, tidier look on your shrubs.

(Image credit: PhotoStudioMCD / Getty Images)Should You Cut Off Dead Hydrangea Flowers?

It’s not necessary to cut off faded hydrangea blooms in summer, but there are a few benefits to pruning away old flowers. Pruning hydrangeas can sometimes promote a second flush of flowers, depending on the type of hydrangea you have.

If you have a reblooming hydrangea in your garden, deadheading can potentially promote more blooms that will emerge in late summer or fall. But most hydrangeas are not like annuals that will keep putting out new flowers all summer long if you prune away the faded blooms.

The main benefit of cutting off faded hydrangea flowers, however, is keeping shrubs tidy. During a heatwave in the middle of summer, plants often turn brown and crispy from the high temperatures. So pruning off brown hydrangea blooms can help keep your garden looking green and lush.

If you don’t mind the look of the faded flowers on your hydrangea, then there’s no harm in leaving them on the bush. Many gardeners love the appearance of the old blooms and leave them all the way through the fall and winter to add more texture and interest into the garden during the dormant months.

You can then remove them in spring to make room for new blooms. Just be careful not to cut off fresh buds on old wood-blooming varieties like mophead hydrangeas and oakleaf hydrangeas.

(Image credit: Getty Images)How to Deadhead Hydrangeas in Summer

Deadheading hydrangeas is easy. All you need is a pair of sharp, clean pruning shears – these cult-favorite pruners from Felco are a favorite among our team of gardening experts, too. Then simply cut off the faded flowers just above where their stem meets the first set of leaves. You can save the dried hydrangea blooms for crafts, like fall flower arrangements or wreaths.

Stop deadheading hydrangeas by fall to prevent accidentally removing next year’s flower buds on old wood-blooming types of hydrangeas. Pruning plants too late in fall can also stimulate tender, new growth that is easily damaged by winter weather.

Orchids have a reputation for being fussy, but most of what they need in July is simple – it just has to actually happen. Summer is a growth season, even when they're not flowering. Behind the scenes, the plant is banking energy for its next flower spike months down the line. Get the summer care right, and that spike comes in strong. Get one thing badly wrong, and you can quietly cancel next season's show before it starts.

Good orchid care in summer comes down to a handful of small tasks and avoiding that one costly slip. None of it takes long, but you need to get into a good rhythm. Steady, moderate care beats sporadic bursts of attention.

Most houseplant orchids are Phalaenopsis (aka moth orchids), so that's the assumption here, though the advice carries to most common types of orchids. If you want to expand your collection, then other good beginner varieties include Dendrobium and Cattleya orchids – both of which are included in this well-rated five-plant set from Angel's Orchids via Amazon.

1. Get the Light Right – and Avoid the Scorch

(Image credit: Tunatura / Getty Images)

This is it. The mistake that quietly costs people their next round of flowers. Never leave your orchid sitting in direct summer sun. The leaves scorch fast – a bleached or browned patch that never heals – and those leaves are the plant's whole engine for powering the next spike. Damage them in July, and it's not just an ugly leaf you're dealing with; it's a missing bloom cycle. Summer sun through a south or west window hits far harder than winter light; a plant that was fine there in January can start burning now.

Bright but filtered is the target. An east window is close to perfect; for anything brighter, a sheer curtain takes the edge off. A self-adhesive portable curtain, like this one on Amazon, lets you temporarily protect plants without drilling. You can just take it down once the high heat of summer has passed.

If you're not sure whether your orchid's light levels are correct, check the leaves. Grassy green is about right; dark forest green wants more; anything bleached or reddish means pull it back fast. Mine sit a couple of feet (60 cm) back from a south window behind a thin curtain, which is the sweet spot in summer.

2. Rethink Watering for the Heat

(Image credit: Alamy)

Orchids drink more in summer, plain and simple. Warmth and active growth dry the bark faster, so the winter rhythm needs to tighten up. Watering orchids on a strict calendar, though, is how roots rot – check first, every time. In a clear pot, silvery-gray roots mean it's thirsty and still-green roots mean wait. No clear pot? Lift it: light means dry, heavy means hold off.

When you water, do it properly – run it through until it pours from the drainage holes, then let it drain fully. The one rule I never break: don't leave water sitting in the crown, that central well where the leaves meet. Trapped there, it invites crown rot, which can kill a Phalaenopsis outright. A quick dab with a paper towel clears any that pools. Morning watering gives the plant all day to dry.

3. Give Them More Humidity

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Most orchids come from humid, tropical places and want the air around 50 to 70 percent. Summer works against that, oddly – not the outdoor air, but the air conditioning, which pulls moisture from a room fast. Too little, and the plant shows it: leaves go slightly wrinkled, and developing buds can shrivel and drop before opening. That last one, known as orchid bud blast, stings after months of waiting.

An easy fix is a humidity tray – a shallow water reservoir with pebbles that hold the pot above the waterline, so evaporation raises humidity without the roots sitting in water. This humidity tray from Amazon does just that under a windowsill grouping. Clustering plants together helps too. Misting gets pushed a lot, but it's honestly weak and short-lived, and late-day misting leaves water pooled where you don't want it. If all else fails, use a small humidifier, like this Levoit model.

4. Feed While They're Growing

(Image credit: SMarina / Getty Images)

Summer is prime orchid feeding time – the plant is growing and can use the nutrients. The old grower's phrase is “weakly, weekly”: a regular diluted feed at a quarter to half label strength, not a heavy dose now and then.

A balanced, urea-free orchid food, like Better-Gro Orchid Plus, diluted to under the bottle's suggested strength, is the standard pick. Urea nitrogen isn't much use to a plant rooted in bark.

One important rule to remember: never feed a bone-dry plant. Salts on parched roots scorch them, same as on anything else – water first, or feed right after a normal watering. Once a month, flush the pot with plain water to rinse out built-up salts before they burn the roots.

5. Keep the Air Moving

(Image credit: Nadya So / Shutterstock)

Air movement is one of those things nobody thinks about until something goes wrong. In the wild, orchids grow in trees with near-constant breeze over their roots and leaves. On a still windowsill in a warm, humid room, they lose that – and stagnant, damp air is where fungal spots and rot get started. A little moving air keeps leaf surfaces dry and the setup far less welcoming to trouble.

A small fan on its lowest setting, aimed to stir the air near the plants rather than blast them, does the job. This Gaiatop Portable Clip-on Fan is ideal – clamp it to a shelf edge, and it moves just enough without drying things out or knocking buds around.

Aim for a gentle drift, not a wind tunnel; if the leaves are whipping, it's too much. A few hours a day suffices.

6. Stay Ahead of Summer Pests

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Warm weather wakes up the orchid pests. The biggest summer offenders are usually mealybugs – check for their little cottony white specks tucked into leaf joints. Scale shows up as small brown bumps that scrape off with a fingernail, while spider mites leave fine webbing and a dull, stippled look.

The trick is catching them early, before a handful becomes an infestation. A once-over every week or two does it – flip the leaves, check the crown, and peer into the tight spots.

For a light case, a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol wipes mealybugs and scale right off. Bigger outbreaks want more reach – neem oil smothers soft-bodied pests and doubles as a mild fungicide. A popular organic pick is Bonide Captain Jack's neem oil. Spray it on a cool, shaded evening so it doesn't bake onto the leaves.

Move an affected plant away from the others while you sort it out. It takes no time for pests to jump between orchids sitting shoulder to shoulder.

July Orchid Care Essentials

Better-Gro Orchid Plus Fertilizer

If you want the best flowers, then get into the habit of feeding orchids weakly weekly with this water-soluble fertilizer.

Sovtfides Sheer No-Drill Curtains

A removable sheer curtain is a clever solution to protect orchids from excessive light exposure in summer.

Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil Spray

This ready-to-use neem oil spray deals with pests while helping to keep fungal diseases under control.

Just as outdoor living season gets into full swing, Australian homeware company Porter Green’s portable silicone drinkware is now available in Canada.

Created by sisters Jane Cox and Mary Warnest, the stylish, yet practical collection is made in Australia. Cox says the collection is “durable and designed to go wherever life takes you.” We caught up with Cox to find out more.

Q: For anyone not familiar with the brand, what is Porter Green?

Porter Green is a women-owned, family business based in Melbourne, Australia. Our signature drinkware is lightweight, unbreakable and effortlessly portable. Made from FDA-approved food-grade silicone, the glasses are aspirational in esthetic but highly functional. Dishwasher safe, reusable and stain resistant, they’re also odourless and flavourless so they don’t taint the flavour of what you’re drinking.

Q: How has the brand evolved since 2018?

Mary and I have been in the industry for decades, and we’ve had very successful products in the past, but nothing to rival the Porter Green collection.

We’re now stocked in over 1,500 outlets internationally including feted stores such as Galeries Lafayette in Paris and the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice.

Q: What sets it apart from the rest?

We’re renowned for our colour palettes and the clean, modern lines of our silhouettes. We design all our products in Australia. It’s a labour of love and our team often has very passionate debates about new designs and colours. We intentionally include both neutrals and brights to fit seamlessly into any setting.

Q: Who is the target customer?

It’s designed to meet the needs of someone who wants a stylish, yet functional product that alleviates the hassle of broken glass.

The product is so versatile — think pool, beach, outdoor entertaining, boating, camping, bachelorette parties, on the lake or snowmobile.

Q: Is there a customer a favourite and why do you think it resonates?

Our swepp long-stemmed wine glass is also a firm favourite. It was chosen to be featured in this year’s Super Bowl LX Gifting Suite as well as a recent Hard Rock VIP. It has metal in its stem for stability and, with a capacity of 480 ml, it’s also very versatile.

Q: What is the price range?

The drinkware collection retails between $30 and $60.

Q: Where can people find your products?

The Porter Green Canada website (portergreen.ca) stockist page lists local stores, or purchase directly from the site.

Q: What can you share about your arrival in Canada?

We have wonderful distributors here who have a family business not unlike ours, so there is real synergy. They bought the product for themselves and loved it so much they approached us to distribute the collection here.

The collection has had immediate traction, and it’s wonderful to have had such a successful launch.

Related

• Wildflower Mercantile's new in-house collection inspired by founder's garden
• Mud Australia opens first Canadian retail showcase at Hopson Grace

Weeding is one of those gardening jobs that you hate, but alas, it must be done. You’ll hate it even more if you’ve been doing it bent down with a cheap trowel, frantically pulling before your back gives out. However, you’ll be relieved to hear there are tools specifically designed to make this miserable takes much less loathsome. With the right tool, you can make weeding faster, more bearable, and in some cases (I’m looking at you pyromaniacs) genuinely enjoyable.

Whether you’re dealing with those annoying dandelions that are cute but take over your entire lawn, weeds that creep through the cracks of your patio, or a summer bed that got away from you while you were on vacation, there’s a tool on this list to help you get the job done.

We’ve rounded up the best you can order online right now, from the satisfyingly old-fashioned to the honestly quite unhinged (in the best way, of course). If you want a broader overview, check out our guide to the best weeding tools before you add anything to your cart.

Grampa's Weeder - the Original Stand Up Weed Puller

If your knees and back protest with exhaustion ever time you so much as think about weeding, this is the tool for you. Despite being invented in 1913, it’s still one of the most effective weed removers on the market.

Grampa's Weeder uses a four-claw lever design to grip weeds by the root (which is exactly what you want). You just place it over the weed, step on the footpad, lean on the handle, and out it comes, root and all. No bending, no kneeling, and certainly no chemicals. It works best on softer soil (especially after rain), and it's particularly satisfying on dandelions. Over 100 years later, it still gets rave reviews, which really makes you think of the old adage, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Fiskars Ergo Weeder Tool

Sometimes you need a bit more precision, especially if you’re working in flower beds and don’t want to destroy your other plants. This Fiskars hand weeder has a cast-aluminum angled head, which gives you real leverage in tough soil, while the ergonomic SoftGrip handle is designed to reduce wrist and hand fatigue. This is great because it means you can actually keep going without your hand cramping up twenty minutes in. It’s rust-resistant, built to last, and has a hang hole for storage so you'll never lose it in the shed again (as long as it’s organized).

Vego Garden Hori Hori Garden Knife

The Hori Hori is the Swiss Army knife of garden tools, and this seriously leans into that identity. It has 10 different functions all packed into a single stainless steel blade: flat edge, serrated edge, depth ruler, shovel, bottle opener, and multiple wrench sizes. For weeding specifically, the dual-edge blade lets you slice through roots cleanly, and the full-tang handle (injected directly into the blade) means it won't bend or break even in that super tough soil. It comes with a thick leather sheath you can clip to your belt, which is either very practical or very cool depending on your gardening personality. Probably both?

Zassou Tawashi Crevice and Sidewalk Crack Weeder

The weeds that grow between pavers and driveway cracks sure do win the award for most annoying, especially since no normal tool can reach them. But let me introduce you to the Japanese-made crack weeder from Nisaku. The corrugated stainless steel blade is specifically shaped to fit into tight crevices and get out weeds at the root. The craziest part is that it’s not some giant tool; it's small enough to fit in your pocket. Made by master blade craftsmen using authentic Tomita steel (the same manufacturer that's been making garden tools since 1960). It's one of those tools you didn't know you needed until you've used it once, and then you wonder how you ever lived without it.

Flame King Propane Torch Kit

Yes, this is technically setting weeds on fire, which is super cool if you like that sort of thing. And yes, it works brilliantly. The Flame King propane torch puts out 340,000 BTU, which, in less scientific terms, is enough to heat weeds to the point of cell destruction, killing them without chemicals and without any pulling. It's especially effective on driveways, gravel paths, and patio gaps, and the ten-foot hose means you're not dragging a propane tank around your whole garden.

A few important caveats though: use it in the early morning or evening when conditions are calm, keep water nearby, and don't use it during dry spells or anywhere near dry mulch or grass. Used sensibly, it's one of the most satisfying weeding experiences available. Used carelessly, it's a different kind of problem entirely.

Hoss Stirrup Hoe

This Long-Handled Hoe Weeder is made in the USA with a powder-coated steel frame and 60-inch ash handle. On top of that, this is one of the best-reviewed stirrup hoes on the market. The blade oscillates 20 degrees in both directions so it cuts on the push and the pull, meaning you can quickly work on large weedy beds without needing to bend over once.

Cobrahead® Long Handle Weeder

The CobraHead Long Handled Weeder is a cult-favorite single-tine weeder that many gardeners swear by. The curved forged steel blade acts like a steel fingernail, getting under weeds and popping them out root-first with crazy accurate precision, and the 54-inch hardwood handle means you stay upright the whole time (always a win for your back).

Are you looking for a carefree summer annual with non-stop blooms for a shady area? If you haven’t tried it yet, now is the perfect time to indulge in Dragon Wing begonias to fill out hanging baskets and containers. The large, green leaves; semi-trailing stems; and pendulous flowers in red, pink, or white are ideal for container culture.

The Dragon Wing begonia series (Begonia hybrida ‘Dragon Wing’) is a garden staple that performs best in partial shade, but also thrives in full sun or full shade. If planted in full sun, it appreciates some afternoon shade in the warmer zones. While it is only hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11, dragon wing begonia is easily overwintered.

I have a shady porch that cries out for begonia varieties, and I usually alternate between dragon wing begonias and the BIG Series wax begonias. They are both trouble free and do well in any light. They simply are must-haves for shady areas where you want low-maintenance, showy blooms that keep on coming.

What Is a Dragon Wing Begonia?

Dragon wing is a cross between an 'Angel Wing' begonia and either a wax begonia or a species begonia, resulting in vigorous traits and superb heat tolerance. It grows from 12 to 18 inches tall and wide (30 to 46 cm), with fleshy stems and 5-inch (13 cm) glossy, green leaves shaped like dragon wings (hence its name). There is also a bronze leaf cultivar.

This shade-loving annual prefers moderate-to-fertile, moist, but well-drained soil. dragon wing begonias can tolerate a short amount of drought as well as juglone, the chemical produced by black walnut trees that causes nearby plants to fail.

Dragon wing begonias are fairly common at garden centers these days, but if you can't find any in person they're available online as live plants from Planet Desert or you can grow them from seeds from Burpee.

(Image credit: Andrei Antipov / Getty Images)Planting Dragon Wing Begonias

Feature dragon wing begonias in containers, hanging baskets, window baskets, landscape beds, or even indoors for a stunning display of colorful flowers and glossy foliage. Choose containers with several drainage holes to ensure excess water is easily drained. If your containers don’t have adequate drainage holes, you can add them with a screwdriver or a drill.

Plant dragon wing begonias in a fertile, well-draining potting mix, like Content Editor Laura's favorite Miracle-Gro mix. Avoid heavy garden soils that may promote stem or root rot. Make sure the plant is not too deep in the soil or it may get stem rot. The crown (where the stems meet the roots) should be at the soil line.

Fertilize begonias when planting with a balanced liquid fertilizer such as 20-20-20, or with a slow-release fertilizer. They will need regular feeding to keep the blooms coming all summer and fall. An organic bloom-boosting fertilizer like this one from Espoma is a great choice.

When growing dragon wing begonias in containers and hanging baskets, one plant soon fills a 10-inch (25 cm) pot. For a 12-inch (30 cm) and wider container, start with three plants.

These flowers look stunning on their own, but if you want to add another plant, choose a spiller plant such as the delicate blooming bacopa, chartreuse creeping Jenny, silver-leafed dichondra or dusty miller, or chartreuse sweet potato vine.

(Image credit: Laura Walters / Future)Companion Plants

Eco+Grande 'Snowstorm Blue' Bacopa Plants

These beautiful purple-blue bacopa plants look great with pink dragon wing begonias.

Dusty Miller Plants

Add a little shine to containers with silver-leafed dusty miller plants like these.

'Margarita' Sweet Potato Vine Plants

Sweet potato vines look so gorgeous spilling out of containers and their lime green leaves make dragon wings pop.

Dragon Wing Begonia Care

Dragon wing begonias, like all begonias, prefer moist, well-drained soil. It is important, however, not to oversaturate the plants or leave them standing in water. Water begonias when the soil is dry about an inch (2.5 cm) below the soil line.

If you're growing begonias in pots or hanging baskets, they need watering more often than those in the ground. During the heat of summer, check the pots daily for dryness. Whether in the ground or in pots, adding a layer of mulch around the plants will insulate them and help prevent moisture loss.

Feed dragon wing begonias regularly, about every two to three weeks if using a diluted liquid fertilizer and every two to three months if using a slow release granular form, but follow the instructions on the package. Formulas such as 20-20-20 work well, or for an added bloom booster, the middle number (phosphorus) can be higher, such as 15-30-15. Stop fertilizing in late summer so the plant can prepare for winter.

Since the dragon wing begonia is a sterile hybrid that doesn’t produce seeds, it focuses all its attention on flowering. Not only is that a bonus to gardeners, but these everblooming plants are self-cleaning, which means you don’t need to deadhead (cut off the faded blooms). Though little pruning is needed, you may want to trim them for shape now and then or reduce leggy stems.

(Image credit: Laura Walters / Future)Common Problems

Diseases to watch out for include botrytis blight, powdery mildew, and pythium root and stem rot. Preventing fungal diseases is key. Avoid watering the leaves and clean up fallen debris in the containers. Avoid heavy garden soil or overwatering. Ensure plenty of air flow between plant foliage.

Pests such as mealybugs, spider mites, thrips, and whiteflies can be troublesome, but a blast of water from the hose will reduce their numbers. Also, remove any heavily infested leaves. Follow that with neem oil, which you can get on Amazon, sprayed on the leaves and stems if needed.

Also note that begonias are toxic to pets and horses. They contain soluble calcium oxalates, however, most of the toxic parts are in underground roots and tubers.

(Image credit: YangYin / Getty Images)Overwintering

If you enjoyed the dragon wing cultivar you chose this summer, you can overwinter begonias indoors. Cut the containerized plant back by about a third and check it for pests. A blast of water should dislodge any freeloaders. Bring it inside and place it near a bright window. Do not fertilize and water much less than you did outside.

If you don’t want to bring a container plant indoors for winter, you can take 4-inch (10 cm) cuttings to root in water or potting soil to propagate begonias to grow on next year. Wait until the threat of frost is past in the spring before moving your plants back outside. Resume watering and fertilizing and, before you know it, your dragon wing begonia will be back!

If there's one person I always look to for effortlessly outdoorsy style, it's Kate Middleton. Whether she's visiting a garden, walking the countryside or taking on a charity challenge, the Princess of Wales has a knack for dressing for the elements without ever looking like she's trying too hard.

Another reason I keep an eye on her wardrobe? Well, I find it oddly refreshing to see how often she rewears her favourite pieces. Rather than chasing trends, Kate has built a wardrobe around high-quality outdoor essentials that work season after season – a philosophy that's just as sensible for gardeners in the market for protective clothing as it is for princesses.

That all came to a head for me during Kate Middleton's recent Three Peaks Challenge, which saw her raise some serious money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. Spending long days outdoors in the height of summer demands clothing that's lightweight, breathable and practical, and every piece of hot-weather gear that Kate chose ticked those boxes and then some.

I Love Kate Middleton's Hot-Weather Gear

The more I looked at Kate Middleton's outfit for this challenge, the more I realised it would make for some pretty stunning gardening clothes, too (at least, it definitely would for me!).

Think about it; whether you're deadheading roses, weeding borders or hauling compost around on a hot afternoon, the same features that make clothing comfortable on a mountain – moisture-wicking fabrics, sun protection and freedom of movement – are just as valuable in the garden.

A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)

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So, if you're wondering what to wear while gardening during a heatwave (especially as a dress made of ice cubes isn't an option), I'd happily suggest you make like me and take inspiration from Kate Middleton's outfit. Especially as most of the key pieces are available on Amazon, making it surprisingly easy to recreate her timeless outdoorsy vibe.

1. Fjällräven Abisko Wool Top

If there's one piece I'd beg, borrow, and steal from Kate Middleton's outfit first, it's her Fjällräven Abisko top.

Fjällräven Abisko Women's Short Sleeve Wool Shirt

Warm when it’s cold, comfortably cool when it’s hot? Add this to your gardening wadrobe, stat!

Made from a lightweight merino wool blend, it's naturally breathable, moisture-wicking and odor-resistant – all qualities that make a real difference when you're gardening in warm weather.

The golden goose, though? Why, the fact that it also regulates body temperature surprisingly well, helping you stay comfortable whether you're working in full sun or desperately trying to stick to pruning into the shade.

2. HydraPak Polar Sport Insulated Water Bottle

It's easy to lose track of how much water you're drinking when you're immersed in the garden, especially during a heatwave. Don't be that person, and be sure to keep a bottle to hand.

HydraPak Polar Sport Insulated Water Bottle

Effortless to hold and squeeze, this bottle is a brilliant way to keep water to hand when you're busy working outdoors.

Kate Middleton's insulated Polar Sport bottle helps keep water cooler for longer, making it much easier to stay hydrated through an afternoon of pruning, planting or watering.

3. The North Face Summit Series Pacesetter Shorts

Gardening involves more bending, stretching and kneeling than most workouts, so comfortable shorts are a must.

North Face Women’s Summit Series Pacesetter 3'' Shorts

This lightweight fabric doesn't just stretch with you as you move; it is engineered to dry quickly, making it ideal for outdoor tasks.

Kate Middleton's lightweight running shorts are on the pricier side, sure, but they are designed to move with you while drying quickly if you work up a sweat, making them an unexpectedly practical choice for summer gardening.

4. Fjällräven Logo Cap

No summer gardening outfit feels complete without a good cap; it keeps you from squinting into the sun, for starters, and it helps keep the sensitive skin of your face shaded, too.

Fjällräven Fjällräven Est 1960 Cap Hat Unisex

Practical enough for the garden, stylish enough for a trip into town? All hail this chic logo cap!

Naturally, Kate Middleton doesn't just do the classic baseball cap; she wore a stylish Fjällräven version during the challenge. Which means, yes, you can ooze understated Scandinavian vibes while helping shade your face from the strongest midday sun.

5. SCARPA Terra GTX Hiking Boots

These are probably the one item I'd reserve for heavier jobs rather than everyday gardening. If you're clearing brambles, moving paving slabs or tackling uneven ground, supportive hiking boots offer excellent grip and protection.

SCARPA Women's Terra Gtx Waterproof Gore-Tex Boots

Whether you're a hardcore hiker or just like to take the odd walk in the woods, these boots are a brilliant way to dress for the occasion.

Oh sure, Kate Middleton favors a stylish pair of hiking boots from Scarpa. Still, I'd be tempted to swap them for a pair of breathable garden clogs for lighter summer jobs.

Look, as I've said already, what I like most about Kate's outdoor wardrobe isn't that it's fashionable, but that it's functional. Instead of buying separate outfits for every activity, she invests in well-made pieces that can be worn again and again, whether she's walking, hiking or spending time outdoors.

That's an approach more gardeners could embrace. A breathable merino top, comfortable shorts, a reliable cap and a reusable water bottle aren't just useful for summer hikes or trips to the gym; they'll serve you just as well when you're spending a sunny weekend in the garden.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some hot-weather gear to add to basket. I'll see you on the other side...

July isn’t a month we usually associate with pruning, but there are a few popular garden perennials that rely on a midsummer cut. And we're not talking deadheading here, but vital plant-shaping, health-giving pruning. Skip this essential July gardening job, and you’ll get far fewer flowers next year, and less fruit, too.

While most plants need pruning just as they awaken from dormancy in late winter or early spring, early-flowering shrubs and vines and many fruit trees need a chop in July. A midsummer snip channels all their energy into growing flowers and fruit, so you’ll get bigger crops and more abundant blooms. A quick chop now also improves air circulation through the plant and allows more sunlight in to ripen this summer’s new stems that will carry next year’s flowers.

And don’t worry, it doesn't take long. Pruning in July is a far quicker, easier task than the fundamental early-spring trim, though no less critical. Everything you need to know to do a great job is right here; I've included product links to a certain national retailer so you can see exactly which tools I'm talking about, but do support your local retailers. Do wait until this current heatwave has eased, too, as pruning puts extra stress on plants – and you! And be sure to give your plants a good water afterwards, to help them recover quickly.

What to Prune in July1. Wisteria

(Image credit: marc chesneau / Getty Images)

This vigorous vine needs pruning twice a year. While a heavy prune in winter chops wisteria back to a strong framework, the midsummer trim is what sets it up to flower well next year.

Wisteria grows its glorious flowers on wood that was grown the previous summer. So right now, you need to channel the vine’s energy into flowerbuds, rather than leaving it to focus on all those long straggly stems (known as whips) it’s currently throwing out. Pruning a wisteria in July is straightforward: simply reduce all those whips to five buds or leaf stalks. At this time of year those stems will be soft and green so it’s a quick job with a pair of super-sharp pruning scissors like these from Amazon. If you have a mature wisteria, rather than getting the ladder out, a pair of loppers with telescopic handles like these, also from Amazon, makes life easy.

Snip off any remnants of flower stems and seedpods dangling down, too.

Forget to prune wisteria in July and all the leaves that grow on those whips will block the sunlight that’s needed to ripen the wood sufficiently for it to grow flowerbuds. This trim also steers the vine’s energy into growing the fattest buds at the base of the stems, and keeps its vigorous growth under control.

2. Mock Orange

(Image credit: Mikhail Davidovich / Getty Images)

Early July is your last chance to prune mock orange (Philadelphus) as next year’s flowers grow on this year’s stems. It isn’t essential to prune mock orange every year but a trim will help to keep this shrub healthy and a manageable size. Cut back the branches by about a third, selecting the oldest, woodiest stems to remove, and chop any dead stems at ground level.

Established mock orange stems can get pretty woody so you’ll find it easier to use a pair of curved anvil pruners such as these from Amazon. With anvil pruners, only the top blade does the cutting, rather like a knife on a bread board, whereas both blades on bypass pruners cut, like scissors do. With tough, woody branches, anvil pruners do a better job of cutting without crushing.

Another good option for removing mature stems, especially at ground level, is a pair of loppers such as these from Amazon, as the longer handles allow you to create a greater force. Powered, cordless pruners such as this well-priced pair from Amazon will make light work of it, too, slicing through stems up to 1½ inches thick.

3. Boxwood

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It’s a good idea to add trimming boxwood shrubs (Buxus) to your list of July gardening jobs. Fresh boxwood growth is tender, so pruning now gives stems and foliage plenty of time to toughen up before winter arrives. It also brings the opportunity to inspect your shrub closely for any signs of damaging insects and boxwood blight, as they're often triggered by summer heat and require swift preventative measures.

All you need do is remove any stray stems that are breaking free from the shape you want in a summer growth spurt, using a pair of bypass pruning shears such as these from Amazon. Resist the temptation to shear the foliage into a neat shape, as removing that shell of sun-hardened leaves will expose softer, more easily scorched growth underneath, and you’ll likely be left with an unsightly brown – albeit still very much alive – bush.

Be sure to disinfect your pruner blades, ideally between each cut but definitely between plants, by dipping them into isopropyl alcohol like this from Amazon, to avoid spreading disease.

4. Rambling Roses

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Unless your rambling rose is a rebloomer, these climbers should be on your list of plants to prune in July. Typically flowering once in June, rambling roses are vigorous growers so a trim now will keep them in shape as well as encourage lots of flowers on healthy new growth next summer.

A pair of long handled loppers like these from Amazon is your best bet to prune roses, both to reach high stems and to keep your hands away from thorns. Do wear protective gauntlet gloves such as these from Amazon anyway, as rambling roses don’t care to be pruned without a little retaliation!

Do be brutal as some rambling rose varieties can put on 15 feet of new growth in a year, creating a tangle of stems and leaving next year’s flowers well above head height where you won’t appreciate their fragrance to the full. Remove a third of the oldest stems, then trim side shoots by two thirds.

5. Apple Trees

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While these fruit trees have their main prune while they're dormant, apple trees will currently be taking advantage of the warm conditions to grow fresh new, straggly stems. Removing this will keep the tree’s focus on growing fruit but also improve air circulation to deter fungal disease and allow more sunlight in for a sweeter harvest.

If you spot any suckers emerging from the base of the apple tree, remove these as low as possible, ideally at the root. Get rid of water sprouts (fast-growing vertical stems that shoot up from the branches), too, snipping them off at the point they emerge.

A pair of hand pruners such as these from Amazon will slice easily through this soft growth, or use loppers like these, also from Amazon. If you’re pruning multiple trees, do disinfect blades in between with isopropyl alcohol like this from Amazon, to avoid spreading disease.

6. Lilac

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Lilac should be pruned as soon as possible after the shrub has finished flowering. That’s because next year’s flowers will form on stems grown this year – wait too long to prune it, and you risk chopping off those buds. Whichever zone you’re in, your lilac shrubs will be done flowering by July, so if you haven’t pruned it already, start by snipping off all the spent flowers.

Lilac shrubs tend to bloom best on stems that are up to five or six years old – any older than this and they’ll only flower at the stem tips. So, by cutting out some of the more mature stems that are more than 2 inches thick, you’ll keep the shrub flowering at its best. A pruning saw such as this from Amazon makes light work of cutting through thick, woody stems.

Don’t remove any more than a third of growth though. Cut off any weak suckers at ground level, too, using loppers or hand pruners.

7. Plum, Damson and Cherry trees

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These stone fruit trees can’t be pruned in winter or spring because of the deadly threat of silver leaf disease. Pruning in late July cuts the risk, and encourages the tree to get busy growing buds that will eventually produce next year’s fruit, rather than lots more leaves.

All you need do to prune these fruit trees in July is shorten long new leafy stems to around five or six leaves from the branch they’re growing from. Leave any new growth shorter than a handspan be.

Always Prune to the Three Ds

Whenever you’re pruning, be it summer, winter or spring, take the opportunity to remove dead, damaged or diseased stems, known as the three Ds of pruning. And don’t worry, even if you’re a beginner gardener and this is your first time pruning. As long as you don’t remove more than a third of a plant’s growth, you’re highly unlikely to kill it, and while there are a few pruning mistakes best avoided, this is a learning process and most plants are very forgiving.

Garden blooms today always seem more important than garden flowers tomorrow. But most gardeners are willing to cut back fading flowers in July to allow new, perfect blooms to grow in.

By July, a perennial garden in full bloom may be starting to fade a bit around the edges. Mainstay plants like roses, hydrangeas and dahlias may have blooms that are overblown, faded or wilting. It may be time for a haircut. Another name for a plant trim in July is deadheading. It’s a colorful term for snipping off blossoms to benefit the plant. In some cases, we deadhead to prevent or delay seed formation, but in July, the primary purpose of deadheading flowers is to get a second wave of blooms.

Grab your favorite pair of pruners (our Editor in Chief Melanie swears by her Felco 2 pruners that can be found on Amazon) and get snipping! Here are five plants to deadhead in July for repeat blooms all summer long.

1. Roses

(Image credit: Maryviolet / Getty Images)

Let’s start with the queen of the flower garden – the rose bush. Despite their difficult-to-grow reputation, most of us have roses in our garden and still get those thrills when the buds open in spring. Deadheading roses is not a universal rule. If your roses drop their blooms and rebloom after that, they are termed “self-cleaning” and do not need deadheading.

But all the others do better with deadheading, not once, not twice, but regularly throughout the summer. You will doubtless see roses fading in July, and – assuming your species is not self-cleaning – deadheading is just the thing to keep your roses looking beautiful.

Deadheading roses is not a complex garden task. Use clean, sterilized pruners and make a cut on the diagonal just above a five-leaflet stem.

2. Salvias

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Unlike roses, salvias tend to spread, so, by July, you are more likely to have 30 blooms than 3. The flower spikes of this tough perennial provide a full-service dining area for a wide range of pollinators including the big three, bees, butterflies and hummers. But by July, the first crop of bright flowers are very likely on the decline.

You want the salvia “blossom factory” producing the vibrant blue and purple blossoms, and deadheading your salvia is the key. Snipping now will not just keep the blossoms coming, it will also make the plant bushier, neater, and stop seed production.

Select declining, leggy, flopping or wilting flower spikes and prune them back with a sterilized pruner. Deadhead flower spikes by cutting the stems back. You want to take off most of the stem, making the cut just above a set of leaves.

3. Hydrangeas

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Are your hydrangeas reblooming? If so, you can expect more than one crop of flowers over summer, but that only works if you deadhead the faded flowers. But you don’t have to buy special cultivars to get reblooming varieties. The standard, super-popular bigleaf hydrangeas (think snowballs or lacecaps) bloom are reblooming (also called remontant) and so are mountain hydrangeas.

How does this work? These hydrangeas bloom on both old and new wood. The first flower on the wood produced the prior season. Then, once those flowers mature and fade, they bloom a second time on new, current-season wood.

Deadheading these flowers really does result in an entire new crop of gorgeous flowers. Using a sharp, clean pruner, snip off each fading blossom right above a new set of leaves. New buds will develop and mature in late summer, just as other garden flowers are calling it quits for the season.

4. Coneflowers

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Coneflowers, also known by their genus name Echinacea, are staples of the perennial garden. They are so easy to grow it seems that they grow themselves. They are known as the top flowers for rank beginners since it is almost impossible to fail. These pretty, daisy-like blooms lor coneflowers, just seem eager to grow and the blooms can last most of the growing season.

Since these colorful flowers do not usually fade in July, why should you consider deadheading? It relates to their eager ways. They reseed happily, even during summer, and can overpopulate the garden. July is a perfect time to nip this problem in the bud, so to speak. Deadheading coneflowers in July will prevent them from early reseeding.

Deadhead with sharp pruners, cleaned and sterilized. Take out the stems just above the first set of leaves and snip right above them. It’s better to deadhead in July than autumn, since the birds are happy to feast on the seeds of spent flowers in fall.

5. Dahlias

(Image credit: Amelia Martin / Shutterstock)

Dahlias might be the most beautiful summer flower you didn't know you needed! These big, lush flowers are total showstoppers and look amazing as cut flowers too. Dahlias bloom all summer long and only stop with the first night frost. The long flowering period makes these sun-lovers extremely popular.

But you can take dahlias for flower arrangements in July - and, at the same time - prolong the already long dahlia season. If the flowers are spent, call it deadheading. Pruning wilting dahlia flowers redirect the plant's energy into putting out more blooms. Otherwise, think of it as harvesting cut dahlia stems to enjoy in your home.

In either case, you’ll want to use sharp, sanitized pruners or gardening scissors. Make a diagonal cut down the stem just above a set of leaves. This type of trim allows the plant to produce new growth from the nodes, and, from that growth, even more blooms through the growing season.

Remember the very first time you used your lawn mower? Remember how easily it cut, and how great your grass looked afterwards? Do you feel like it's just not quite the same these days?

That's because it isn't! Lawn mower blades, just like any cutting tool, get dull with use, and after a season or more of mowing yours are probably well past due for a sharpening.

Dull lawn mower blades don't cleanly slice the grass. Instead they pull and tear at it, leaving behind jagged edges that make your lawn vulnerable to disease and messy looking. So it's obvious that you need to sharpen your lawn mower blades. But how best to do it?

VEVOR Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener

VEVOR Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener, 2/3hp Lawnmower Blade Grinder With 7" Ceramic Grinding Wheel and Balancer

Say hello to the VEVOR Lawn Mower Blade Sharpener (Model KH-DM04). A fully integrated, standalone electric bench grinder station, it brings commercial-grade blade restoration directly to your workshop. It's a little pricier than hand-held options, so let's take a look at what makes it worth the extra spend.

Power

At the heart of this blade sharpener is a robust 2/3 Horsepower (500-watt) motor. It runs at a steady and optimized speed, which gives you a high-torque rotational force that can grind away nicks, rust, and dullness in minutes.

A lot of shop grinders run at over 3400 RPM, which can easily overheat. But the VEVOR sharpener is precision-tuned for blade metalwork. It removes tough material quickly without overheating, and your blades get sharpened without turning blue – a tell-tale sign of ruined heat temper.

High Efficiency

Instead of traditional aluminum oxide wheels that wear down quickly, this sharpener boasts a massive 7-inch, 60-grit ceramic grinding wheel.

Ceramic abrasives are much harder, cooler-running, and more heat-resistant than standard materials. The 60-grit composition strikes the perfect balance between aggressive grinding and a clean, smooth finish. Because the 7-inch wheel offers a large contact surface area, it requires fewer passes. This ensures symmetrical grinding, minimal metal loss, and a much longer lifespan for your blades.

Vibration-Free Construction

The VEVOR blade sharpener is a heavy-duty machine. Weighing in at a substantial 33.3 lbs (15 kg) with a footprint of roughly 17 x 12.6 inches, it has an integrated Q195 steel structure and a solid base. This heavy, rigid design is intentional. It anchors the machine firmly to your workbench, completely eliminating the vibration and wobbling that plagues lighter grinders. The result is a smooth, safe, and hassle-free operation that makes it ideal for handling large batches of commercial blades.

Built-In Blade Balancer

Sharpening is only half the battle; balancing is the other. If you grind more metal off one side of a mower blade than the other, it creates an unbalanced blade. Spin this at high speeds on your lawn mower, and you can destroy spindle bearings, crack mower decks, and cause costly engine crankshaft damage. Not to mention give yourself a very bumpy mowing experience.

VEVOR addresses this critical maintenance step by including a blade balancer. Right after grinding, just drop the blade center onto the balancer to instantly check its weight distribution. This ensures a smoother ride, quieter mowing, and maximum longevity for your mower's engine.

The Final Verdict

A lawn mower is only as good as its blades, so it's essential to take good care of them. You could always get a mount for your drill, or a handheld sharpener, but at the end of the day these aren't going to guarantee the balance and precision that your lawn mower really needs. So go ahead and get the VEVOR sharpener – your lawn will thank you.

This summer's heatwave means it’s getting too hot to garden comfortably, yet your plants need extra TLC to survive the intense conditions. The solution? These pro gardening tips that will not only cut chore time but help your plants through this hot spell.

From smarter watering to avoiding heat-stressed plants, protecting rapidly ripening fruit from birds to keeping your borders flowering abundantly, these 10 pro gardening tricks mean your garden will flourish with minimal effort from you. A heatwave isn’t the time to be doing any jobs that stress plants, either, so leave your essential July pruning until this heat dome has passed. Pause July tasks that involve more work for you, too, such as sowing seeds in midsummer for a fresh burst of color, and concentrate on helping your garden survive the heat.

Once you see how much time these gardening cheats save, and how much happier your plants are, I’ll wager you stick with them even once this heatwave has passed. After all, there’s World Cup football to be watching!

1. Deter Birds With Reflective Tape

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Protecting soft fruit such as strawberries, raspberries and tomatoes from garden birds typically involves erecting a fine mesh net over your plants. It’s very effective at keeping your fruit safe but boy, it’s a faff when you need to remove the mesh so you can pick it. And in hot weather, fruit ripens so quickly, that you may find yourself having to harvest every day.

Tying strips of reflective tape such as this from Amazon to sticks or canes stuck in the ground is a great alternative to mesh. No, it won’t protect 100% of your fruit, but it does a pretty good job and it’s far cheaper and much less hassle. Freed from the mesh net, your plants will enjoy more airflow, too, meaning less stressed plants and better harvests post-heatwave.

2. Leave Lawn Clippings as a Mulch

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Those grass tips you snip off your lawn whenever you mow are packed full of nitrogen, and they can be left in place to rot down and feed your lawn for free. They’ll also act as a mulch to hold in moisture.

There are a couple of provisos: you need to mow when the grass is dry and, unless you have a mulching mode on your mower, you need to mow regularly so the clippings are short. That shouldn’t create any more work as grass growth slows in dry conditions. It’s a smart move to raise your mower height a notch, too, as slightly longer grass blades will encourage deeper roots that are better able to find moisture. Both of these are simple mowing switches that lead to a healthier lawn.

3. Plug Border Gaps With Hanging Basket Plants

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The edges of beds, and in particular raised beds, can dry out very quickly in a prolonged heatwave, making it near impossible for smaller, shallow-rooted perennial plants to survive. You may also get border gaps where perennial growth is more compact than usual due to the heat. A smart solution is to use hanging-basket plants to temporarily fill these bare spots.

Bred to survive life in the arid, exposed environment of a hanging basket and bloom profusely for months on end, these will tolerate heat where others keel over. You can use trailing petunia, calibrachoa and impatiens as groundcover or let stems cascade over raised bed edges, and if you use a bulb planter, it’s super-quick to add plug plants to your garden. Head down to your local garden center and see what bedding plants it has to offer.

4. Weed With a Stirrup Hoe

(Image credit: Getty Images)

It’s tempting to ditch weeding altogether in this heat, but believe me, those weeds will be taking full advantage of this hot weather wherever you’re watering. Not only does this mean super-speedy growth, those pesky weeds will be sucking up valuable moisture that could be helping the plants you want to grow to flourish.

The solution is to do a weekly three-minute weed with a stirrup hoe, sometimes called a scuffle hoe, like this tool from Amazon which has an adjustable handle that can be shortened for use on raised beds. A stirrup hoe has a metal loop that you pull through the soil to slice through weeds' roots, which means you can simply leave the toppled weeds where they fall. If you do this every week, it’s really effortless as the hoe head is small enough to whizz around the plants you want to keep.

5. Embrace Chop and Drop

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Chop and drop is a relatively new practice that’s become hugely popular in Europe. It simply involves cutting out the compost heap middle-man and dropping pruned plant material directly onto the soil, where it will slowly rot down and provide nutrients. While this method is primarily used when cutting down old herbaceous stems at the end of the growing season, it works equally well when you’re deadheading. So when you're snipping off faded flowers, leave them where they fall.

The benefit of this isn't just saved time, but the fallen organic material will help to reduce evaporation and lock moisture into the soil.

6. Water Earlier to Halt Evaporation

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Efficient watering is key in your efforts to help plants survive a heatwave. Irrigate your plants when the sun is high in the sky and the soil has heated up and you’ll lose between 20% and 50% of that water to evaporation. Get out the hosepipe early in the morning, when air and soil temperatures are far cooler, however, and much less water will evaporate. That means you can water for less time and your plants will enjoy the same level of hydration.

Keeping the water stream directed at the soil, rather than as a shower that covers the whole plant, also reduces evaporation.

7. Bury Flowerpots in the Ground

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Another trick you can employ to reduce the amount of time you spend watering is to make your own ollas by burying flowerpots in the ground. Pronounced ‘oh-yah’, an olla is an ancient irrigation method that buries porous vessels filled with water to slowly deliver moisture into the soil. This not only cuts evaporation to almost zero, but it’s far faster to aim the hosepipe stream into a pot than it is to try not to disturb the soil too much as it slowly absorbs the water.

Plants will naturally grow their roots towards this reliable, more consistent water source, too. Terracotta pots with saucers such as these from Amazon make great ollas and the bigger they are, the longer they’ll last between filling. Seal the drainage hole with an exterior silicone sealant such as this from Amazon, then bury with the pot rim just above the surface and use the saucer as a lid.

8. Dampen Down Your Greenhouse Every Morning

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A bucket of water thrown over the greenhouse floor, or a quick spray of the hosepipe, can save you a ton of time dealing with heat-stressed plants. As the water evaporates, it acts as a natural air conditioner, cooling the air by several degrees. This process also adds moisture to the air, which slows how quickly plants lose water through their leaves, keeping plants hydrated and less stressed, so they’re far better able to deal with all manner of threats.

Daily dampening down also deters red spider mites that typically thrive in the hot, dry air of a greenhouse and suck sap, damaging leaves and potentially killing plants.

9. De-Stress Sun-Baked Patio Pots

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Heat-stressed plants need a heap of TLC to keep them alive so, rather than fire-fighting and watering them morning, noon and night, take some preventative action to lower their needs. First, move pots into a partially shaded area to give them some respite from the sun. If that’s not possible, plant parasols such as these angle-adjustable umbrellas from Amazon can create much-needed midday shade, or hang up a sail shade.

Adding a moisture retention mix such as Miracle-Gro Water Storing Crystals, also available from Amazon, to the soil will help keep the plant hydrated between waterings, as will topping pots with clay LECA pebbles to hold onto water.

Grouping pots of plants with the same watering needs together will also save you time – both when you're watering and when you're explaining to neighbors what needs watering, when, if you’re off on vacation.

10. Grow Basil Alongside Tomatoes

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Recent research has shown that basil releases volatile compounds that prime a tomato plant’s defence mechanism. So, a tomato plant with a basil plant alongside it will react faster and more vigorously to a threat than one without. So much so, that planting basil with tomatoes can increase yield by 20%. In hot weather, plants are more susceptible to both pests and disease, so beefing up their response will save you a ton of time dealing with problems later on down the line.

Greek basil (Ocimum minimum) is the variety used in the tomato stress reponse study and seeds are available from Amazon.

11. Replace Needy Plants With Low-Maintenance Lovelies

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Ok, so this isn't so much a cheat as a change of attitude – but as far as gardening tips for a heatwave go, it's perhaps the most important. More and more of us gardeners are turning towards drought-tolerant plants that practically grow themselves as trad water-dependent plants such as hydrangeas start to struggle in our increasingly hot summers. If you're wondering how to help plants survive a heatwave, then perhaps it's time you did too.

I operate a strict no-diva policy in my garden: I only add low-maintenance plants and if one I inherited starts to struggle, I don’t wait for it to die, but dig it up and advertise it for free on my local online marketplace group so a gardener with more time on their hands can bow to its needy ways. And honestly, that's been the biggest time-saver of all.

I hope all these pro gardening tips save you time and stress in the garden, so you can put your feet up in the shade.

Every summer, I find myself trying to keep the house cool without relying on air conditioning. Closing curtains helps a bit (as does sitting in front of a fan with an ice cream in hand), but I much prefer solutions that work with nature rather than against it.

That's one reason I've become fascinated by those vines that cool your house down. Planted in the right spot, they do the same job as trees for shade, creating a living awning that softens harsh afternoon rays before they reach your windows while adding color, flowers and plenty of wildlife appeal to the garden.

The clever part, though? Why, that comes later in the year. As temperatures cool, these climbers naturally shed their leaves, allowing low winter sunlight to stream back through your windows just when you need the extra warmth and light.

Vines That Cool Down Your Home on Hot Days

It's an old gardening trick that's becoming more relevant as hotter summers become the norm across many parts of the US. Instead of blocking light all year round, deciduous vines like coral honeysuckle adapt with the seasons, helping create a more comfortable home while making outdoor spaces greener and more inviting.

Sold on the idea? Of course you are! For beautiful climbing plants that earn their keep, look no further, then, than these seven heat-loving vines, all of which promise plenty of natural summer shade without sacrificing winter sunshine. Perfect.

1. Trumpet Honeysuckle

(Image credit: Shepherdsatellite / Shutterstock)

A beautiful native vine that proves a practical plant can still be stunning, trumpet honeysuckle produces tubular red-orange flowers throughout summer. Not only does this create a magnet for hummingbirds, its dense green foliage helps block out the harshest rays of the sun and cool your house in the process.

Unlike other varieties of honeysuckle, many of which can be... well, if not invasive, than thuggish, this native species stays much better behaved in the garden. Try something like the Major Wheeler Honeysuckle Vine from Nature Hills, then, and get growing!

2. Climbing Hydrangea

A beautiful native vine that proves a practical plant can still be stunning, trumpet honeysuckle produces tubular red-orange flowers throughout summer. Not only does this create a magnet for hummingbirds, its dense green foliage helps block out the harshest rays of the sun and cool your house in the process.

Unlike other varieties of honeysuckle, many of which can be... well, if not invasive, than thuggish, this native species stays much better behaved in the garden. Try something like the Major Wheeler Honeysuckle Vine from Nature Hills, then, and get growing!

2. Climbing HydrangeaVines That Cool Down Your Home on Hot Days

It's an old gardening trick that's becoming more relevant as hotter summers become the norm across many parts of the US. Instead of blocking light all year round, deciduous vines like coral honeysuckle adapt with the seasons, helping create a more comfortable home while making outdoor spaces greener and more inviting.

Sold on the idea? Of course you are! For beautiful climbing plants that earn their keep, look no further, then, than these seven heat-loving vines, all of which promise plenty of natural summer shade without sacrificing winter sunshine. Perfect.

1. Trumpet Honeysuckle

(Image credit: Shepherdsatellite / Shutterstock)

A beautiful native vine that proves a practical plant can still be stunning, trumpet honeysuckle produces tubular red-orange flowers throughout summer. Not only does this create a magnet for hummingbirds, its dense green foliage helps block out the harshest rays of the sun and cool your house in the process.

Unlike other varieties of honeysuckle, many of which can be... well, if not invasive, than thuggish, this native species stays much better behaved in the garden. Try something like the Major Wheeler Honeysuckle Vine from Nature Hills, then, and get growing!

2. Climbing Hydrangea

(Image credit: Elisabeth Schittenhelm / Getty Images)

If your priority is cooling a sunny wall or window, climbing hydrangea is hard to beat (I should know; I have one sprawling over my own fence!). Its large, overlapping leaves create a thick green curtain during summer, helping shield your home from intense heat. And, come fall, it drops its foliage, allowing precious winter sunlight back through.

It is slow to establish, but once mature it becomes one of the most impressive shade-producing climbers you can grow. Pick up a Climbing Hydrangea from Nature Hills, stat!

3. Virginia Creeper

(Image credit: Chinahbzyg / Shutterstock)

Look, it gets a bad rep, but we all know that if you need coverage quickly, Virginia creeper delivers. This vigorous native vine can rapidly cover trellises, fences and walls with lush green leaves before transforming into a fiery display of red and purple in autumn. Its dense summer canopy makes it particularly useful for shading hot walls and windows, but it all comes with a caveat: keep on top of pruning! It is an understatement to say that this very enthusiastic grower appreciates a little guidance.

You can pick up Virginia Creeper Live Bare Root Plants from the CZ Grain Store via Amazon easily enough.

4. American Wisteria

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For a romantic garden feel, look no further than the standout star of Bridgerton, I say! Yes, it's hard to beat wisteria trained over a pergola or arbor, and American wisteria in particular produces fragrant flower clusters that form a leafy canopy (aka welcome shade during the hottest months).

Unlike the better-known Asian varieties, this native option is far less aggressive. Try the Amethyst Falls Wisteria Vine from Nature Hills if you want a truly beautiful vine that cools down your home and keeps pollinators buzzing.

5. Passionflower

(Image credit: Michaela Pilch / Shutterstock)

Fast-growing and full of personality, passionflower brings both beauty and function to summer gardens. Its intricate flowers attract bees and butterflies, while its vigorous leafy growth can help create a temporary living screen for fences, pergolas or sunny spots.

This vine doesn't just cool down your home on hot days, though; in colder regions, it dies back in winter, returning when temperatures rise, and allowing light to flood your home when you need it most. Buy a passionflower from Amazon, then, and enjoy.

6. Grapevine

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Grapevines have been used for centuries to create shady outdoor spaces, and for good reason. Their broad leaves form an effective summer canopy over pergolas and patios, while their fabulous fall color and edible fruit add heaps of extra appeal.

Once the leaves drop, too, winter sunshine can reach your home again. Something like the Canadice Seedless Grape Vine from Nature Hills should work a treat!

7. Common Hop 'Comet'

If you want dramatic summer coverage quickly, ornamental hops are worth considering. This vigorous deciduous vine can scramble up supports and create a dense leafy screen in a single growing season.

Home & Garden Fulfillment Network Comet Hops Vine

The chartreuse and lime green hues of this vine add color, height, and interest to gardens with carefree ease. 

It dies back completely in winter, making it ideal for gardeners who want summer shade without losing winter light. Just be sure to provide a trellis for clambering purposes!

Shop Trellis & Help Plants Reach Dizzying Heights:

LANDGARDEN Expandable Garden Trellis

This expandable garden trellis is a perfect climbing plant support.

KAWAHAYO 20 Pcs Chain Trellis for Climbing Plants

Suitable for indoor and outdoor use, this unusual twist on a climbing plant support adds a little va-va-voom!

DuraTrel Cambridge Garden Vinyl Trellis

This chic trellis can be effortlessly fixed into the ground using the included ground anchors.

By shading windows, walls and patios during the hottest months, leafy climbers are a great way to reduce the amount of solar heat entering your home.

It's a simple gardening trick that's been used for generations, but as summers become longer and hotter across much of the US, it's one that's well worth revisiting.

The devil works hard, basically, but a well-chosen deciduous vine works even harder! Use yours to cool down your home on hot days, and you'll never look back.

If there are gardeners out there who look forward to heatwaves, I haven’t met them. It’s pretty awful to wake up to a hot morning when the heat just keeps getting hotter as the day goes along.

Many popular garden plants make it through a heatwave because they have roots that go deep into the soil where there is moisture. But when those same plants live in containers, there is no deep soil and no room for deep roots. Container plants have a very limited amount of soil, and that soil dries out quickly during summer droughts.

That doesn’t mean that all container plants are doomed in summer heat. The best drought-tolerant container plants thrive in hot weather and with reduced water. Succulents and cacti are at the top of the list, but there are plenty of other low-water, heat-loving plants that bring color and interest. Below are seven of my favorites, and some tips for helping container plants survive heatwaves.

Helping Container Plants Survive Heatwaves

You can help your container plants thrive in a heatwave by taking a few precautions. Be sure the plants you leave out during a heatwave are drought-tolerant and like the heat – but their maturity is important too. Don't leave new, young perennial plants outside during a heat wave. Give them a year to establish.

Otherwise, follow these tips:

• Water your container plants in the early morning every day.
• Water until you see water coming out of the drain holes.
• Add a 2–3 inch layer of mulch on the top of the soil in every container. Use organic compost, chopped dry leaves, or wood chips.
• In truly scorching weather, move the containers out of the sun for the afternoon. A location with morning sun and afternoon shade is best.
• Don’t fertilise plants at all during hot weather. Wait until cooler weather comes in.

Heatwave Garden Essentials

Oycevila 5 lb Water-Storing Crystals for Plants

You can reduce watering by up to 50% by mixing these water-storing crystals in with the potting soil.

4 Pack Plant Umbrellas for Outdoor Plants

These fun plant parasols can be angled to protect vulnerable plants during periods of intense heat.

Back to the Roots Organic Expanding Mulch

Apply a layer of this expanding coconut husk mulch over the top of soil in pots to help keep soil cool and retain moisture.

1. Silver Jade Plant

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The silver dollar jade plant (Crassula arborescens) is an attractive succulent with round, puffy blue-gray leaves edged in a rich wine color. Native to South Africa, this striking plant has thick stems and starry white or pink blossoms in spring.

You can buy a variety pack of jade plants online from Altman Plants at Lowe's.

Jade is a perfect container plant in USDA zones 9-11. Its relatively short roots need well-draining soil and minimal water. In fact, too much water will rot the roots of this plant. Like other succulents, silver dollar jade plant stores water in its puffy leaves to use during times of drought. This is one of those plants you can set on a patio, admire every few days, and neglect the rest of the time.

2. Russian Sage

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Are there any plants with stunning flowers that actually grow best in a full-sun, arid location? There are indeed, and Russian sage is one of them. It’s an erect shrub that prefers full sun in well-drained soil. It performs best in dry, arid conditions.

Russian sage forms clumps that rise to 3 feet (1 m) tall, with sturdy upright stems and silvery-gray leaves. They have a pleasing pungent aroma when touched. The tubular purple flowers appear from June to October. Cultivars like 'Blue Spire ' and 'Blue Mist' produce better flowers than the species plant.

You can plant Russian sage in a container on a sunny patio, but you might want to select a dwarf cultivar like Denim ‘n Lace from Plant Addicts, or Little Spire, available at Lowe's. Give the container an occasional deep watering, then leave it alone until it’s completely dry.

3. Purple Fountain Grass

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Oh la la, this is a lovely fountain grass plant! It’s graceful and colorful, with waves of soft purple plumes arching up from burgundy-tinted foliage. Purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum') is the superstar of fountain grass, dramatic in containers or mass plantings.

With its short roots, purple fountain grass thrives in containers as an annual, and as a perennial in zones 9–11. It is free of pests and diseases, and tolerant of hot sun and minimal water. Planted in large containers, this grass can grow up to 5 feet tall, making a fabulous frame for entryways when placed on either side of a doorway, adding visual interest with its height, movement, and color.

Buy purple fountain grass online from Nature Hills.

4. Thorncrest Century Plant

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Thorncrest century plant (Agave univittata ), a type of agave, grows wild in the Rio Grande Plains, thriving in dry, well-drained, rocky soil in zones 9–11. This qualifies it to take its rightful place among the best, drought-proof container plants that stay lush in heatwaves. Try this attractive Quadricolor variety from Altman Plants via Amazon.

Agave forms a rosette of leaves at its base; lovely, dark green leaves with a lighter green stripe down the middle. These large leaves heap up to about 2 feet (60 cm) tall. Then, of course, they flower – but don’t hold your breath. Agaves only bloom once in a lifetime, but when they do, what a show! The flower stalk appears in spring and shoots up to 10–15 feet (3–5 m) tall.

Thorncrest century plant is a fuss-free container plant that doesn’t need much water. Put it in a spot that gets sun. If you live in a cooler zone, you can still grow century plant. Set it up in a container and move it indoors during winter.

5. Asiatic Jasmine

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Common jasmine is a lush climbing vine with gorgeously fragrant white blossoms that requires regular water to leaf and flower. But Asiatic jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) – unrelated to the real jasmine clan – is an evergreen, vine-like woody plant that makes a good, drought-proof perennial for containers in zones 7–10. In cooler zones, it can be grown as an annual.

Variegated varieties, like the new Snow-N-Summer Asiatic Jasmine, available at Plant Addicts, are particularly stunning, with foliage spanning pink, white, and green.

While many use Asiatic jasmine in the landscape for alternative groundcover, this plant, with tiny yellow “pinwheel” flowers, also does well in containers placed in the shade or sun. It will grow to 3 feet (1 m) tall and half that wide. Gardeners in Florida often choose Asiatic jasmine given its hardiness and drought tolerance. Once established, this jasmine needs very little care.

6. Rosemary

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Native to the hot Mediterranean area of Europe, rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus) offers so much that you can’t pass it up as a drought-tolerant, heat-loving plant. This shrubby perennial herb has truly lovely blue flowers as well, attracting oohs and aahs and pollinators. Driving through Spain, I’ve seen wild fields of rosemary so beautiful that they took my breath away.

Rosemary is drought-tolerant and grows best in full sun in warm areas. Can you grow it in a pot? It’s best, since the shrub doesn’t like much moisture in its soil, and soil in a container stays drier than soil in the ground. Rosemary thrives in zones 7–11. In colder areas, grow rosemary in a container and bring it inside for the winter.

7. Cushion Spurge

(Image credit: Marina Bagrova / Getty Images)

Never heard of cushion spurge (Euphorbia epithymoides)? Well, say hello to one of the most drought-tolerant perennials for USDA zones 4 to 8. The plant’s flowers are lovely, yellow blooms backed by chartreuse bracts on a plant that grows to about 18 inches (50 cm) tall. The second show happens in fall when the foliage changes to orange and red.

Cushion spurge is a great choice for patio container plants; just pick a large container with adequate drain holes. This plant is happy but will also thrive in partial shade, though too much shade will make the cushion spurge leggy, rather than its classic cushion shape.

Another good spurge for containers that has a similar cushion-like growth habit is Tiny Tim dwarf spurge, available at Walmart.

Mulch put down in spring feels like a one-and-done job, and for plenty of gardeners it is – right up until midsummer, when the beds start looking thin and the ground dries out faster than it used to. That layer that was 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm) deep back in April has a way of settling and quietly vanishing by July. Whether it calls for another bag or two really depends on what's left on the ground.

Any solid guide to mulching will stress that organic mulches are meant to break down over time – that's the point. They not only hold in moisture and cool the soil, but they also add organic matter into the soil as they break down. The catch is, though, is that they don't last forever. So a midsummer mulch refresh is often the price of that slow-release payoff.

Not every landscape needs another layer of mulch in the middle of summer, though, and heaping more where there's already plenty brings its own set of headaches. I'll help you know if your garden needs another layer of mulch, how much to add, and the best type to refresh gardens in midsummer.

Why Does Mulch Disappear?

A few different elements eat away at mulch over the course of the summer season. Living organisms in the soil break down the lower layers of mulch over time, which is actually a good thing. The mulch turns into exactly what your plants want and need to thrive.

But the surface layer of your mulch is another matter. Sun bleaches and dries it out, and hard rain packs it down flat. Week by week, a fair amount of mulch gets kicked around by normal tending and foot traffic or blown clear of the bed by the wind, too.

How fast this occurs comes down to the cause and the type of mulch you used. Shredded bark and wood chips hold up for a good while, often a full season or longer. Lighter materials – think straw or grass clippings – break down quicker and sometimes they're almost gone by high summer. Stone and gravel mulches don't break down at all, though they don't feed the soil either, which is why most flower and vegetable beds benefit from an organic mulch.

(Image credit: Vasil Dimitrov / Getty Images)Do You Need to Reapply Mulch?

A simple test to check if you need more mulch and when to mulch in summer only takes a few seconds. Just push a ruler down through the remaining mulch until it hits soil and see how deep the layer actually is. Anything under an inch (2.5 cm) or so isn't pulling its weight anymore. It won't hold in much moisture or do much to smother weeds. Bare patches where the dirt shows through are the other easy giveaway, since that's where water evaporates fastest and weeds find their opening.

Weeds tend to reveal on a thin layer of mulch, too. A bed that was clean in spring suddenly throwing up seedlings usually means the mulch has worn past the point of blocking them.

Moisture is the other tell. If the ground under the mulch dries within a day of a good watering, the cover is too skimpy to hold much moisture. A basic soil moisture meter from Amazon takes the guesswork out of this, though honestly a finger pushed a couple inches (5 cm) into the dirt works nearly as well.

(Image credit: Getty Images)How Much Mulch to Add

The goal is a finished depth of 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm), not two to three inches of fresh mulch piled on whatever's already sitting there. Topping up means adding the difference and nothing more.

If an inch (2.5 cm) of mulch is still holding, another inch or so brings it back where it should be. Too much mulch, anything deeper than 3 inches (8 cm), and it starts working against you by holding too much water against plant roots and preventing the soil from breathing.

Keep the fresh mulch layer pulled back a couple inches (5 cm) from plant stems and the base of shrubs or trees. Mulch heaped straight against bark traps moisture where it isn't wanted and invites rot. Those mulch volcanoes you see around trees are a common mulching mistake and are actually really bad for trees.

Spread and level out mulch with a rake. A sturdy landscape rake from Amazon spreads a bag evenly in a fraction of the time of doing it by hand and keeps the depth consistent across the whole bed.

(Image credit: Getty Images)Best Mulch for a Midsummer Refresh

For a summer top-up, you want a mulch that holds moisture well and stays put through thunderstorms. Shredded bark and wood chips are hard to beat for use around shrubs and perennials. They knit together and resist blowing away, and their slow breakdown process helps them last right into fall.

Vegetable beds do better with an eco-friendly mulch like straw or shredded leaves, which stay light and work into the soil easily once the season winds down. But matching the new mulch to whatever's already there keeps your landscape looking cohesive.

One task worth doing regardless of the type of mulch you use: soak your garden beds first. Laying mulch over dry ground just locks in that dryness, which defeats the whole purpose. A bag or two of organic shredded bark mulch from Amazon covers most average-sized beds and a good watering beforehand means the fresh layer of mulch seals in moisture.

July is when backyard tomatoes either take off or quietly fall apart. The plants are big by now, heavy with green fruit and pushing hard through the hottest stretch of the year – which is right when small problems snowball into season-enders. Blossom end rot sets in, skins split, and a fungal spot creeps up the lower leaves before anyone notices. Most of that traces back to a few tasks that get skipped in the heat, not to bad luck.

The good news is that ten minutes of attention now pays off for weeks. Anyone already comfortable with growing tomatoes knows the vines are forgiving up to a point, and midsummer is where that forgiveness runs thin. A little pruning, steady water, a nutrient nudge at the right moment – these are the moves that keep fruit setting through August instead of stalling out in a tangle of leggy growth and cracked skins. None of it takes special skill. It just takes doing it before the plant forces the issue.

What Your Tomatoes Need in July

The plants aren't asking for much in July, but the little they need, they need on time. Skipping a step doesn't show up right away – it shows up three weeks later as cracked fruit or a vine half-taken by blight. Ten minutes now buys a lot of tomatoes later, and better-tasting ones at that.

1. Low-Leaf Haircut for Airflow and Blight Prevention

(Image credit: Oleh Strus / Getty Images)

When pruning tomatoes, start at the bottom. Those lower leaves touching the soil, or hovering just above it, are the first place blight and early leaf spot get a foothold – rain splashes soil-borne spores up onto them, and from there the trouble climbs. Stripping the bottom 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30cm) of foliage off each plant opens up airflow right where things sit stagnant and humid. It looks a little brutal the first time. The plant won't miss them.

Those low leaves aren't doing much photosynthesizing anyway, shaded out by everything above. Pulling them lets air move through the base and dries the zone out faster after a storm, which is half the battle with fungal trouble. Do it on a dry morning so the wounds seal before evening humidity settles back in. A clean cut or a clean snap, either works – just don't leave torn stubs that invite rot.

2. Consistency With Deep Watering

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Tomatoes hate surprises when it comes to water. Deep, consistent soaking is what heads off blossom end rot and split tomatoes both, and the two problems actually share a cause – erratic moisture. When a plant goes bone dry and then gets flooded, the fruit swells faster than the skin can stretch, and it cracks. Calcium uptake stalls during the dry stretches too, which is what triggers that sunken dark patch on the bottom of the tomato.

The fix is boring, but it works. Water tomatoes deeply and less often, right at the base. A couple of long soakings a week beats a daily sprinkle that only wets the top inch (2.5cm). A drip line or soaker hose from Amazon takes the guesswork out of it, running slow and low so moisture sinks down to where the roots are. Mulch over the top of that and the ground holds even between waterings. That last part is honestly reason enough to mulch.

3. Midsummer Sucker Pruning

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Tomato suckers are the little shoots that pop out in the crotch between the main stem and a branch. Left alone, especially on indeterminate types, they grow into whole secondary stems that eat energy the plant could be putting into fruit. Midsummer is prime time to stay on top of them, since the vines are growing fast and throwing new suckers weekly. Pinch them out while they're small – thumb and forefinger, no tools needed.

There's a limit to this, though. Determinate tomatoes set most of their crop at once and shouldn't be sucker-pruned much at all, since every growing tip counts toward the harvest. On indeterminate tomatoes, a light hand beats a heavy one in the heat. Strip too much foliage and you expose fruit to sunscald, those pale leathery patches that show up on shoulders baking in full sun. Take the obvious suckers, leave enough canopy to shade what's ripening.

4. Mid-Season Potassium Boost

(Image credit: Valeriy_G / Getty Images)

By July, the early fertilizer is mostly used up and the plant is heading into its heaviest fruiting stretch. This is where a potassium boost earns its keep – potassium drives fruit development and flavor, and a mid-season side dressing keeps production from tapering off early. Skip fertilizing tomatoes with the high-nitrogen stuff now. Nitrogen at this stage just pushes leafy growth at the expense of the tomatoes already forming.

Side dressing is simple. Scatter a low-nitrogen, higher-potassium feed in a ring a few inches (7 to 8cm) out from the stem, scratch it into the soil surface, then water it in. Something along the lines of a tomato-specific granular fertilizer from Amazon does the job without much fuss. The plant picks it up over the following weeks, right as the fruit load peaks. Do it once now and most gardens won't need another round before the season winds down.

5. Reinforcing the Rigging

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

All that fruit has weight, and July is when supports start giving out. A cage that held fine in June leans under a fully loaded plant, and once a stem kinks or snaps, that whole branch of developing tomatoes is finished. Walk the row and look for strain. Maybe a stake has worked loose, or a tie is starting to bite into a thickening stem. Better to catch it before a storm rolls through and lays everything flat.

Loosen any ties that are cutting in and re-secure with something soft. Strips of old T-shirt work, or these adjustable plant ties from Amazon that don't dig into the stem as it thickens. Add a stake where a plant is outgrowing its cage, and tie in the heavy trusses so they're not hanging off a single joint. Ten minutes of reinforcement now saves a snapped main stem later, and there's no coming back from that one.

6. Snapping Off Key Growing Tips

(Image credit: Getty Images)

This one's aimed at the tail end of the run, but it's worth knowing about now. Toward the close of tomato season – usually mid to late summer, depending on climate – snapping off the growing tips of indeterminate plants tells them to quit making new growth and ripen what's already there. Any flower cluster that opens past a certain point won't have time to mature anyway, so the plant does better funneling that energy into the fruit already hanging.

It's called topping, and it can be the difference between a pile of green tomatoes at first frost and a properly ripe haul. Cut or pinch the top few inches (7 to 8 cm) off each main stem, just above the highest cluster worth keeping. Everything gets redirected downward. In shorter-season areas it's close to essential; in long, warm climates there's less urgency, though it still helps concentrate flavor late in the year. Miss July, and tomatoes coast. Get it right, and they produce like they’ve got something to prove.

Most vegetable gardens are fed on a loose schedule: a scoop of granular in spring, maybe a mid-season boost, whatever the instructions on the bag suggest. That works fine most of the time. But what many gardeners don't realize is that when you fertilize plants matters nearly as much as what you feed them. The gap between a well-timed dose of fertilizer and a badly-timed feeding shows up fast, sometimes as scorched roots and sometimes as a plant that sulks for a week instead of taking off.

Figuring out the best time to fertilize plants isn't complicated, though. Plants only draw on nutrients when they're actively growing and the soil around their roots is damp enough to carry those nutrients. Feed during that window and the plant takes up nearly everything on offer. Feed outside of it and a good share of that fertilizer either sits there unused or, worse, harms the plant it was meant to help.

Here's exactly when to fertilize your vegetable garden for a bigger harvest and thriving plants. Plus, find out the worst time to feed plants.

Best Time to Fertilize Vegetables

The best time to fertilize a vegetable garden is when plants are actively growing and the ground is already damp. For most vegetables that is sometime between early establishment and fruit set. At that point, the plant moves from building leaves to filling out fruit and it stays hungry the whole way through this process.

If you fertilize during this phase, the nutrients get pulled up and put to work almost right away. Fertilize plants on a cool, overcast morning and it helps even more since your veggies aren't spending everything they have just trying to survive the heat of the day.

Morning is the friendliest time slot for fertilizing before the heat builds. The soil is usually still holding moisture from overnight, the roots are awake, and there's a long stretch of mild conditions ahead for the plant to use the nutrients you're giving it.

Watering first or feeding the day after decent rain makes a real difference. Nutrients need water to travel and dry soil just leaves them stranded up top. A balanced liquid fertilizer from Amazon works quickly since it's already dissolved in water and ready for the roots to absorb.

(Image credit: Valeriy_G / Getty Images)Why This Is the Ideal Time

Fertilizing your vegetable garden on a damp morning during a period of active growth isn't only about being tidy. It changes how much of the fertilizer your plants can actually reach.

Nutrients provided while roots are active and the soil is moist get absorbed better, instead of washing past the root zone during the next hard rain. That means less waste, and less runoff that carries nutrients somewhere they were never meant to be. More of what you paid for actually gets to the plant.

There's a knock-on effect on growth, too. A plant fed steadily through its hungry phase grows at an even pace, which usually means better fruit and fewer of the soft, sappy shoots aphids attack. Provide too much nitrogen too late in the season, though, and the plant puts out lots of leaves when it should be ripening fruit. The feed technically worked, but it aimed the plant at the wrong goal.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)Worst Time to Fertilize Vegetables

Here's the main lesson to take away when it comes to fertilizing vegetables: never feed a plant that's already stressed from heat and dry soil. It may seem almost backwards – the plant looks like it's suffering, so surely a boost of nutrients would help? It won't. Fertilizer is essentially salts and salts in dry ground pull moisture the wrong way, drawing it out of the roots instead of into them.

If the top few inches (8 cm) of soil feel bone dry, that's the signal to hold off. A soil moisture meter from Amazon helps you tell if you're soil is too dry in seconds, if the surface moisture is hard to read. For a wilting, sun-baked plant, feeding is a fast track to fertilizer burn or scorched root tips and crispy leaf edges that appear in just a day or two.

Follow the same precaution when feeding any plant that is visibly struggling – that includes wilting in the heat or new plants suffering transplant shock. Feeding rarely fixes those issues. More often it stacks stress onto a plant that is already maxed out.

It's better to solve the problem first, usually by watering your vegetable garden, and let plants steady themselves before adding fertilizer. A hungry plant can perk back up in just a few days. A burned one takes a lot longer to come back.

(Image credit: Valeriy_G / Getty Images)What to Do If You Missed the Window

Missing the ideal vegetable fertilizing window isn't a huge deal. The right fix is rarely to pile on extra fertilizer to catch up. That's how one missed feeding turns into a case of fertilizer burn.

Instead, water your vegetable beds deeply and let them settle. Wait for a mild morning, then feed at about half the usual strength. Half-strength fertilizer at the right moment does more than a full dose forced at the wrong time.

Gentler options carry less risk when you're playing catch-up, too. A diluted liquid feed watered in or a thin layer of compost worked over the surface releases slowly and won't shock plants. A long-neck watering can from Amazon makes it easy to get a diluted feed right to the base of each plant without splashing foliage in the midday sun.

After that, it's mostly patience. Your vegetable garden catches up on its own clock, not yours, so rushing the process rarely ends the way you hope.