Time to trim impatiens and hydrangeas

▪ Give tall and unruly impatiens a trim. Cut off 1/3 of the growth. Plants will fill in and start blooming again in a few weeks.

▪ Have you tried abelia “Canyon Creek?” It’s an excellent medium shrub that takes part-shade to full sun, is deer resistant and has attractive green foliage. Disease resistant and hardy, this 4-by-4-foot weeping shrub deserves a place in your landscape.

▪ Prune hydrangeas after the flowers fade. Prune to a leaf on the stem. Try the new hydrangea “Endless Summer.” They repeat their blooms after they are pruned.

▪ Now is the time to give all roses and perennials another application of slow-release fertilizer. Do this to ensure big fall blooms.

▪ Roses bugging you? If you have had problems with disease and insects, try systemic products containing fertilizer, fungicide and insecticide. Systemics are applied to the soil, where the plant roots distribute the chemicals to the entire plant over an extended period. It is very easy, and very effective. As always, use insecticides only as a last resort.

▪ Plant garlic now for harvest next summer. There is nothing like fresh garlic added to all kinds of delicious meals — that you can share with me!

▪ Irises need a little attention this month. Do not cut all of the leaves into a fan shape. Instead, simply cut out any unsightly leaves. Dig and divide now. Discard any plants with disease and insect problems.

▪ Don’t throw away those egg shells. Bake them in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Crush and scatter them around plants that slugs and snails like to eat. The egg shells cut these pests, and naturally repel them.

This story was originally published July 6, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Time to trim impatiens and hydrangeas."