Dear ##firstname[Friend]##,

Crystal Rennicke

I have a lot of teachers in my family. And while I love them all dearly, I get jealous this time of year when they talk about mornings spent strawberry picking or leisurely afternoons at the driving range.

I love my job (and half-day Fridays during the summer are a nice perk), but a part of me will always long for those carefree summer vacations when I was a kid.

If you can relate, brighten up your desktop with these summer wallpaper photos. Then take a look at the funny photos from our June photo challenge to make you smile. 

Don’t forget to submit your best container combination for your chance to win plants from Proven Winners. Click here for more details.

Happy Gardening!
—Crystal

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READ ON TO DISCOVER...

• Plant of the Month
• Yard Smarts
• Question of the Month
• Frugal Backyard Tip
• Submit Your Story

Walter's Gardens, Inc.

Plant of the Month

Purple Rooster Bee Balm
Attract hummingbirds and butterflies with this new royal-purple bee balm.
Botanical name: Monarda didyma ‘Purple Rooster’
Bloom Time: Summer.
Hardiness: Zones 4 to 9.
Flowers:Vibrant, tall royal-purple flowers with mildew-free foliage.
Size:36 inches tall; 26 inches wide.
Growing Advice: Grows well in moist, well-drained soil in containers or landscape borders.

Click here for our Top Ten list of Red, White and Blue flowers.

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Yard Smarts

Extend the Vase Life of Roses
Melinda Myers shares this tip on keeping roses from wilting too soon in a short informative video. Watch now.

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Question of the Month

RDA-GID

Yellowing Leaves
Q:The foliage on my clematis is turning yellow. It’s planted next to the house where it receives morning sun. What should I do?
–Mrs. Ben Dodds, Mt. Vernon, Oregon

Melinda: First, I recommend mulching the soil around the plant to keep the roots cool and moist. If the problem continues, test the soil to find out what nutrients, if any, should be added.
Acid soils and nutrient deficiencies can cause the yellow leaves on alkaline-loving clematis plants. But don’t just guess what needs to be added—follow your soil test. Too much lime to sweeten (or raise the pH) or fertilizer can injure or even kill the plant. It also creates problems that can take years to correct. Contact your Extension service for details on soil testing.
 

For more answers from Melinda, click here.

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Frugal Gardener Tip

Water-Wise Idea
Grant your worn-out hose a second life by converting it to a soaker hose. Plug the end of the hose with a round stick and perforate the hose with a sharp nail. You’ll recycle an old hose into a soaker hose—and conserve water at the same time.

Click here to join the chat on our Thrifty Backyards community.

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Submit Your Story

We’re looking for those interested in photography to send us some of their nature photos and tell us why they got interested in photography. Send them to Behind the Lens section using our Submit Your Story form.

Submit your story»

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