Gardening Reminders: Trim those suckers gardening reminders

Trim those suckers

Remove the suckers from grafted roses (which means most roses), crape myrtles and crab apples. These are the quite vigorous shoots that arise from the base of the plant. Several sprays are marketed to reduce the suckering of trees, but I have seen no good evidence that they are effective without affecting the growth of the rest of the plant.

Gather young, tender beans

Harvest bush beans when they're about 6 to 8 inches long. Fillet bush beans can be harvested when they are even smaller. By harvesting beans when they are young, you will enjoy a more tender bean, and the plants will be encouraged to produce more beans. Planting another crop of fast-growing vegetables like bush beans will ensure a harvest that continues into the fall.

Be bold harvesting basil

When harvesting basil, don't just remove individual leaves but cut back whole stems. This will create a bushier plant that will produce more leaves, fewer flowers and less scraggly growth. Pick basil in the morning for the best flavor. This is when the oil content in the leaves is highest. Many other herbaceous herbs will also benefit from this type of treatment. Woody herbs should generally be harvested only by pinching back the tips several inches.

Water early in the day

If rain is lacking, practice water-wise horticultural techniques such as determining which plants are most important and watering them first; watering plants early in the day through drip irrigation or hand held hose with shut-off nozzle; re-applying mulch to plantings to help conserve moisture; allowing lawns to go dormant (they will green up again when rain returns); and continuing to remove weeds, which compete for water.

Midsummer chores

Prune and deadhead your rhododendron now to control height and prevent seed formation at the expense of next year's flowering. You can continue to prune for shape on broadleaf evergreens but should finish by the end of the month. As your raspberry canes finish producing, prune the fruiting canes to the ground.

Stop pinching mums

If you have been pinching back your mums and asters for a spectacular fall show, you should be stopping by about the middle of July. If you didn't pinch these plants back, don't try now. Wait until next year and remember to start in the spring by taking out the growing tips every two to three weeks to develop bushier plants that will bloom spectacularly in the fall.

Mark Weathington is the assistant director of the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, N.C. Reach him at crazyplant@msn.com.