Around the Yard

Things to do this week:

* Protect fruit. The squirrels are already harvesting my ‘Anna’ apples, so keep an eye on yours! Luckily my ‘Anna’ is grafted on an ultra-dwarf rootstock, so I quickly draped lightweight, black polypropylene bird netting over the fruit, the only sure-fire way to keep animals from eating your efforts. Next best is red Mylar tape. Short lengths on fruit trees or berry trellises startle birds, at least for a short while. Don’t put tape up too early or leave it on too long, or the animals will become accustomed to it. Squirrels are more problematic. Consider them a test of your patience, tolerance and forgiveness as a gardener.

* Prevent rot. Moisture and the warmth of summer can be a deadly duo if the base of plants stays damp too long. To prevent basal rot, keep mulches cleared a foot from the base and irrigate only in the morning, so the plants and soil surface can quickly dry.

* Plant daisies. Summer days are daisy days--many bloom now and most can still be planted. A fun idea is to plant many different kinds of the annual daisies together, from the short (golden fleece) to the tall (rudbeckias). One of the best daisies is the perennial echinacea, with its big, swept-back, lavender-pink flowers.