Have you noticed any tan colored, irregular shaped blobs laying on top of your bark? It is a fungus called Snow Mold and it is quite harmless in outdoor plant beds. It will fade out by itself but if you don’t like to look at it, you can remove it and it probably won’t come back again this year.
The weather man is predicting a warm, dry week so stay ahead on watering. Early morning watering is the most effective but if you want to water in the heat of the day, use drip or direct watering instead of overhead with sprinklers.
Have you pruned your late spring flowering shrubs yet? Lilac, Weigela, and Spirea are just a few that should be trimmed this month. These can be fast growing shrubs so be sure to remove enough foliage to keep them looking nice until next years flowers appear.
The Hydrangea are showing beautiful blooms right this summer. My ‘Annabelle’ Hydrangea are growing in full sun and starting to fade just a little but a later, taller variety is right behind them getting ready to take over the flower show. I like to cut off the blossoms with long stems attached and dry them upside down in a cool, dark place. In December, I lay them on the branches of my Christmas tree. The long stems help to keep the dried blooms in place.
