Lilies and phlox and dahlias, oh my! Here’s how to tackle the woes of these beauties
The second week of August is when lilies, dahlias and phlox can fill the garden with color. All three are tall and dramatic plants but these triplets of the summer garden also have a few demands to keep them in tip-top shape.
Why does my lily plant have leaves but no flower buds?
The most common reason why a lily will grow but not bloom is too much shade. If your lily gets 5 to 6 hours of sun but still does not bless you with blooms, then the bulb could be too small and young to flower (lily corms like to be at least 3 years old) or you may have harvested too much of the lily stem last year. Cut lilies so that you leave as many leaves behind as you can. This summer’s foliage is making next year’s flower.
What is the white powder on my phlox leaves?
Mildew rears its snowy white head In August if phlox plants are allowed to dry out or if you wet the foliage with overhead sprinklers. Mildew may not kill your phlox but it sure ruins the look.
Pull the most infected leaves off the plants and water the roots. If the new growth still sports the powdery mildew, cut the entire plant back to the ground. Mulch to seal in any mildew spores that have fallen into the soil.
You may still get a flock of phlox blooming before the first hard frost hits in October if you cut them back now.
How do I keep the earwigs from eating my dahlia blooms?
First, don’t believe the old husbands tales about earwigs crawling into your ears. The slender brown critters with the pinchers on their hind end are harmless to humans. But they do love to eat the fading blooms of dahlias so set a trap for them before they do their damage.
Small clay flower pots turned upside down on a stake and stuffed with damp newspaper will become a posh hotel for earwigs. The goal is to draw the earwigs to the pottery traps then collect them in the morning when they are hiding in the newspaper. You can add them to your compost pile where they will help break down plant material into compost or dispose of them by the drop and stomp method.
Don’t be surprised if you find sow bugs and slugs in your pottery hotels as well. Dahlias are delightful, but the oldest petals do emit an odor that attracts the clean-up crew of the insect world. Earwigs, sow bugs and slugs all delight in devouring decaying matter, so they belong in your compost pile.
Meet Marianne
Gardening guru Marianne Binetti will give a garden talk about growing summer flowers and vegetables from 11 a.m. to noon Sunday, August 13, at the Auburn Farmers Market at Les Gove Park, 910 Ninth St. SE, Auburn.
Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of several books. Reach her at binettigarden.com.
