With the temperatures trying to break 100 the last few days and the humidity not far behind, we are all reminded once again that the Miss-Lou is in the heart of the Deep South. Our steam bath like summers are as much a part of our culture as catfish and cornbread. The recent afternoon thundershowers have been a great relief to gardeners around the area. Let’s just hope they continue.

The next couple of months can be critical to many of our newly planted or existing plantings. Monitoring soil moisture is critical with the extreme temperatures we will be having. Especially check containerized plantings daily as they will be the first to dry.

Proper mulching around young trees and shrubs will help to cool the roots, especially during the next couple of months. Mulch provides insulation against extreme temperatures and rapid changes in temperature. Other benefits include a reduction in moisture evaporation and a suppression of some weed species. Leaves, grass clippings, compost, pine straw, pine bark and cypress mulch are some of the most common mulching materials.

When mulching, everyone should abide to landscaping commandment No. 4. It simply states &uot;Thou shalt not pack mulch against the trunk of any woody plant.&uot; And a good commandment it is. Allowing a few inches between the trunk and the start of the mulch will help to prevent insect and disease damage.

Mulch also provides an attractive barrier between a plant and its worst enemy the lawn mower or string trimmer. Trees or shrubs of any age have a hard time recovering from even the slightest injury. Damage results in an open wound that may be an entrance for a variety of harmful insects and disease problems and eventually may girdle or ring the tree. Unfortunately, just one encounter with power equipment may send the plant to an extremely slow rendezvous with death.

Fertilizing spring flowering shrubs like azaleas, camellias and viburnums should be done soon after they bloom. Now is not the time to apply fertilizer, as it may result in reduced bud formation.

Another important reminder, it’s too late to prune azaleas, camellias and other woodies that bloom in late winter to early spring. They have begun to set buds for next year so any pruning that you do now will either reduce the number of blooms or eliminate them altogether.

Pinching or pruning chrysanthemums after the first of July may disrupt their bloom. Fertilize chrysanthemums regularly beginning now until they begin blooming as they are very heavy feeders.

Spend a little time in the flower garden weeding, deadheading, removing yellow leaves and seed pods. Prune the tops of tall, leggy plants so that they will branch out and produce more flowers. A little effort goes a long way, especially in July and August.

Need to fill in a few spots? Larger sizes of heat tolerant bedding plants are still available in local nurseries. Cockscomb, gomphrena, lantana and impatiens can easily be transplanted into the garden now, as long as they are watered properly until they root into the surrounding soil.

A couple of bucks invested in a pack of cosmos, marigold, sunflower or zinnia seed can provide a colorful show in about 4-5 weeks. July and August are good times to replenish flower beds with plants and seeds for a continuation of bloom throughout the fall.

As for you lawn lovers out there, now is the time to watch for chinch bugs in St. Augustinegrass and centipedegrass lawns. These little critters will cause irregular areas of dead and yellow turf or areas of turf that appears to be under drought stress for no apparent reason. They tend to be worse during dry summers so lets hope we will get some more summer showers. If you think you have a patch of chinch bugs, you can check and see by removing about a four inch plug from the center of the dead patch and slowly submerging the plug in a bucket of water. If the critters are present, they will float to the top.

Just remember to take it easy when gardening in the heat. Wearing a brimmed gardening hat helps to keep me cool. Drink plenty of fluids and try to do the most strenuous work early in the morning and late in the evening to beat the heat. At least, with daylight savings time, we have enough daylight to work outside later into the evening. Take it easy and enjoy the summer!

Gardening Miss-Lou Style is a weekly column written by Traci Maier of Natchez. She can be reached at Fred’s Greenhouse at 445-5181 or by email at ratmaier@iamerica.net