Divide and Conquer!

The best way to keep your perennials in check is by dividing ’em. This will keep overgrown plants from taking over your whole backyard, reduce overcrowding, and eliminate any old or weak growth. And guess what? Early fall is the best season for dividing! So get started as soon as possible, using the 6-step to-do list below:

1. Cut all the top growth back by half, and dig up the roots.
2. Gently tease or break clumps of the plants apart, or cut them with a sharp knife or spade. Make sure each new piece has at least one bud or stem and some roots.
3. Treat each divided perennial to our Transplant Tonic: In a 5-gallon bucket, mix 1 can of beer, ¼ cup of instant tea granules, 2 tbsp. of dishwashing liquid, and 2 gallons of water. Let the plants soak in the mix for about 10 minutes or so.
4. Have a perennial exchange with your neighbors, where you can trade your divisions for a bounty of fresh new plants! (Or, skip to Step 6.)
5. Plant your perennials in their new location using compost-enriched soil. Give ’em a good watering, then dribble any leftover Transplant Tonic around each plant for an extra boost. By next spring, they’ll be growin’ strong!

For even more garden grow-how, check out our bestselling book, Terrific Garden Tonics! It’s filled with hundreds of Jerry's world-famous solutions to give you the lush lawn, beautiful blooms, and gorgeous garden of your dreams. And you can try it FREE for 21 days with our Free Preview!

Deadheading Dos and Don’ts

This time of summer is a terrific time to clip off the heads of your early-blooming annuals, perennials, and flowering shrubs. The practice of deadheading will make your yard look neater and help the young plants send much-needed energy to the newer buds growing further down on the stems. Snipping off spent blossoms also keeps the plants strong, makes future blooms more spectacular, and prevents the plants from making any unwanted seedlings.

And if you’re worried that summer’s heat and humidity have gotten the best of your annual flowers, don’t give up on them yet. You can still enjoy several more weeks of blooms if you treat ‘em right—right now! Cut them back by about half, water them thoroughly, and then douse them with a shot of this Annual Pick-Me-Up Tonic. They’ll be back in bloom before you know it!

Here’s how to whip up a batch: 

• Mix ¼ cup of beer, 1 tablespoon of clear corn syrup, 1 tablespoon of baby shampoo, 1 tablespoon of 15-30-15 plant food, and 1 gallon of water in a watering can.
• Slowly dribble the solution onto the soil around all of your annuals.
• Within two weeks, they’ll be real comeback kids—and you’ll get to enjoy their lush leaves and beautiful blooms right up until old Jack Frost makes a return appearance in mid-fall.

Looking for more ways to grow the most gorgeous garden in town? Just check out our bestselling book, Terrific Garden Tonics. It’s got all the motions, potions, and lotions you’ll need for the beautiful blooms you’ve been dreaming of. And, you can try it out FREE for 21 days!

The Secret to Fending Off Flower Maladies

Diseases that traumatize flowers cause the most trouble in yards that are heavily treated with chemicals. But they can strike even the best-tended gardens. Fortunately, it’s easy to stop many of them in their tracks—without resorting to potentially dangerous substances that can lead to more woe than you’ve got already. The secret is simple: Take a good look at each plant every day (or as close to it as you can), and if you spot any of the following symptoms, take action right away. Don’t dawdle—even a short delay could spell the difference between a minor challenge for you and a fatal disaster for your plants.

Spots on leaves. Pick off all the marked leaves and toss them in the trash—not in your compost bin!

Mottled green-and-yellow leaves that are crinkled or curled up. These are signs of viruses at work. There is no cure, so pull up infected plants and throw them away immediately.

Yellowed leaves, stunted plants, and/or wilting. These may be disease symptoms, or they could signify the presence of pests, cultural problems, or nutrient deficiencies. If a dose of a good all-purpose organic fertilizer doesn’t solve the problem, call your local Cooperative Extension Service and ask for help.