You may have already started your garden back in the spring, but in order to keep it looking beautiful, it’s important to maintain what you’ve got and squeeze the last bit of summer life out of your garden while the weather is hot.

Keep reading for some tips for keeping your summer garden looking great!

• Don’t let weeds take over. Weeding and thinning are two of the most crucial elements to keeping your garden looking great. The best time to check for weeds is in the early morning or in the early evening when the weather is a little cooler and pluck those suckers up. Doing this daily, or at least every few days will dramatically decrease the amount of work your garden will need to stay looking nice.

• Thin out some of your veggie crops that you may have started later in the season for a fall harvest. We know how hard it can be to pluck out the seedlings that aren’t doing well and giving them another chance, but in order to keep your plantings healthy enough to keep them going strong, you have to thin out some of the weaker ones.

• Fertilize your garden again, even though you may have done it earlier in the season. Rain can wash out nutrients in your garden that can deplete the soil and so can previously planted crops and plants who take nutrients from the soil for their growth. Adding a mid-season fertilizer can help balance out those critical nutrients so that you can continue to have a great harvest in the fall.

• Ensure you are watering enough. It can get very hot and dry this time of year, and rainfall may become scarce. The hotter it is, the more frequent waterings are required. Check plants regularly, and if you see any wilting or drooping, water them as soon as possible. Ideally, an irrigation system can be used to help conserve water and help prevent fungus and diseases such as powdery mildew from affecting your plants.

• Plant a new crop to stagger the harvest. Some great late season crops you may want to consider adding are butternut squash, green beans, peas, broccoli and cucumbers.

• Regularly check for pests. Common pests in Western North Carolina are aphids, squash bugs, and scale.

• If you have flowers or ornamentals, deadhead them when their flowers are spent, water them thoroughly, and keep up with regular lawn maintenance such as weeding, mowing, and pest control.

• Lastly, practice gardening self-care. Summer is hot, which can wreak havoc on your own system, especially if you aren’t hydrating your body enough or taking breaks when you start to feel fatigued or overheated whilst performing lawn and garden work. Just as the flowers in your garden, bloom where you are planted and take care of yourself!