Urgent July Garden Tasks Every Gardener Should Do NOW

[@TheMillennialGardener]

If you enjoyed this video, please "Like" and share it to help increase its reach! Thanks for watching TIMESTAMPS for convenience: 0:00 5 Critical July Gardening Tasks 0:44 Gardening Task #1 2:47 Gardening Task #2 6:08 Gardening Task #3 11:17 Gardening Task #4 13:39 Gardening Task #5 16:53 Adventures With Dale

[@donnabrooks1173]

Love the video. Dale is beyond adorable while sleeping. Too cute!!!!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@lillypatience]

Do you leave the shade cloth on 24 hours a day? I've been removing them in the evening so the plants get morning sun. If it's unnecessary to remove the cloths, please let me know. I have the same shade cloth as you. Thanks!

[@chriswiley5184]

That new hose you purchased for behind you fruit trees, could it be used in the evening to water plants either as a mister (obviously the plant leaves will get wet but dry before sun in the AM) or turn it upside down as you did and strategically place the drip as much as i can over my containers or cloth bags? I’d really appreciate your advice. Thanks in advance 😊.

[@davidjenkins4665]

Weather not good where I am in uk atm. Iv not got ur problem ..otherwise I'm like 2 months behind. Ps loving channel

[@judifarrington9461]

Could you show us how you do your shade cloth? Once the tomatoes get taller than my T-post, ... I just don't know how to get the extra height. Did you add length to your T-posts?

[@sn232]

If people cannot afford shade cloth, they use window sheers, clothespin, or clip to trellis, tomato cages, bamboo poles, fences, t-posts, tree limbs, etc...using whatever they can to attach the sheers and lift them above and off of plants. It's a quick fix until they can purchase a shade cloth likes yours. I know an Amish woman that attached hers to weighted down lawn chairs and bamboo poles, to create a make-shift shaded area for her plants one week that she had super strong sun. Thank you for your videos, always appreciated!!!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Shade cloth is very cheap, much cheaper than any window blinds. Trying to rig something up would not only likely cost you more money, but you'd waste a lot of time cobbling together something not designed for the application that probably will fail in the wind. Shade cloth is specifically designed for plants and provides them filtered light. I do not recommend hacking something together, because not only will it likely cost you as much or more than the real stuff, but it may negatively impact your plants. Most sizes of shade cloth are under $30.

[@sn232]

@@TheMillennialGardener Sheers, not blinds, sheers are inexpensive, can get for about $1 at Goodwill should someone need something extremely affordable, and they are strong enough to withstand winds. Sometimes $30 is out of budget for some, which is why I was only making a suggestion for people that would love to use your sage advice and have that slightly less strong sunlight on a small area, or even for someone that has a little plant that needs shading. I tried it one year, it worked perfectly, I shaded newly planted vegetable transplants, for a bit of time. It looked nice and neat, I used black sheers and white sheers, depending on the density of shade I needed, and even doubled them up if I needed more sun protection. Now I am saving up and trying to find the right size "shade cloth" to cover a much larger area all at once. Hope I did not offend you by just offering a suggestion for someone that might need a creative and inexpensive way to create shade if they need it.

[@Ninabeana13]

Yes it all adds up, shade cloth, drip irrigation, plant food and compost, tools, fixtures, hose and accessories, treatments and preventatives, other repellents, many other items depending on your environment. I just cannot afford more than what I’ve already purchased, or the investment will be over what the return for a few seasons would be. Shade cloth isn’t in my budget at this time, I’m in NJ zone 7a/b. If I need it, I would probably rig something I already have too. If you’re in NM, TX, FL etc you should probably buy real shade cloth. I’ve actually lived in the south eastern cost of NC probably close to where MG is at, it gets very hot and humid and sometimes hot and intensely dry too. I’m sure he definitely needed it. But as gardeners we save silliest junk thinking ahead for use in our gardens, because hey it’s going outside and already garbage. Reuse and get creative when you need to, and invest when absolutely necessary!

[@sn232]

@@Ninabeana13 precisely. I like to learn of both ways of doing things, not only for myself, also for gardener friends. Sometimes we all can afford the new items, and sometimes need to come up with a creative, inexpensive way to achieve similar results, reusing items we have on hand. It's all fun, both ways, it's all worth a try :) Happy growing!

[@patriciaandrews6803]

Zone 7b we are in a drought. I put up shade cloth several weeks back and I have very minimal leaf curl and plants are darker green than Ive ever seen. I'm a believer! Thanks for your educational straight to the point videos. Love your pup!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It's incredible. Virtually nothing we grow in our annual vegetable gardens are full sun species. Tomatoes, peppers, melons, cucumbers, squashes...all forest floor species. Growing them in full sun crushes them. Shade cloth is the ticket to non-stop harvests!

[@themollybeane]

Zone 10b here. I buy bales of Kaylee Aspen Bedding at my local pet supply store to use as mulch in all my raised garden beds. I’ve tried various other materials, but I just keep coming back to the bedding. It’s made from soft, light-colored wood shavings that reflect heat well and make it easy to see around the bases of my plants, even in shady areas. It’s also filtered for dust during the manufacturing process and has no additives - dyes, oils, etc. - which makes it easy to work with, even with bare hands. ✋🤚

[@moodybikerchic]

I am in Burlington, N C. I watch you all the time. I love your videos. I am a 75 year old widow that loves to garden. Iuse buckets and grow bags. I plant kale, swiss chard, beets, and collards for winter crops. I got recently a 90% shade cloth for my tomatoes and am growing almost all heirloom indeterminates. I only have Romas as determinates. But, anyway, thank you for your awesome program. I am learning so much from you to make my garden better. .

[@laurenc9857]

Hi! I'm in the Greensboro area!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I would not recommend 90%. That is going to be way too much shade. The tomatoes will likely become very leggy and get sickly. Here in Wilmington, it's hotter and the sun is even stronger, and honestly, 40% is borderline too much. The "right" amount of shade cloth for us here in NC will be between 30-40%. 90% will likely cause the plants to die off. 90% is something you'd want to use over a patio for humans to sit in shade. I would not recommend you use that, unfortunately.

[@ronnieisley9929]

I am in Graham N.C would love to talk about gardens. I do all raised beds I built. This years heat has been rough.

[@greenwoodsbushhogging6704]

Gardening on a budget video please. Like when to find the best deals/sales, the best cheap way to do X, and all the other things that could save a few bucks. Most get into gardening to save some at the grocery store, so I'm sure a budget garden series would do extremely well.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I post deals all the time if you follow my channel and have notifications turned on. I'm constantly scouring the internet looking for the best deals, and I share 2-3 every week with people to help them save money. If you look at my Community tab on my channel, you'll see them: www.youtube.com/@TheMillennialGardener/community Regarding gardening in general, you probably won't like my statement, but gardening has to be viewed as an investment. Just like there is no way to build a big 401K by contributing the bare minimum, there are initial start-up costs to building a garden that should be considered an investment and corners shouldn't be cut. The first 3-4 years of gardening will be a net loss. You'll have to fork out quite a bit of money on materials, soil, fertilizers, seed trays, heat mats, grow lights, watering cans, hoses, drip irrigation, etc. My garden has cost me many thousands of dollars. *BUT,* I spread those costs over several years building it as I could afford it, so it was manageable. Now that I've gone through the investing phase, I'm reaping the rewards. My infrastructure is in place, so now all I really spend money on is seeds, fertilizer, organic insecticides and water. My garden has been paying me back for several years, and it's cut my grocery bills in half, not to mention the incredible health savings that you can't put a price on. What is the money saved from being healthy and not having to take medications and see doctors? That may be the biggest savings of all. Look at it like investing. Make smart investments, but don't cut corners.

[@ltridge504]

A lot of it is how resourceful you are. IBC totes are pretty economical for rainwater systems. If you live in a neighborhood, leaves are typically easy to stockpile in the fall. Chip drop hasn't worked out for us, but it can potentially get you all the mulch you can stand delivered to you for free.

[@d.b.3851]

Couple things I've picked up so far are that Marketplace or CL has great deals on garden tools/supplies. Old sheets can make great shadeclothe if you cut some holes in them. Always on the hunt for items that can be re purposed!

[@candicecrawford2996]

My recommendation is finding gardening friends- we almost always have extra plants, seeds, cuttings etc

[@greenwoodsbushhogging6704]

@TheMillennialGardener I completely understand that and have to tell my clients over and over again the same thing, honestly. Maybe I worded my idea wrong. Most get shell shocked on the "start-up price" and quit before it begins to pay off for the long run. I used budget gardening as a general quote. I know you've explained that over and over, but maybe a focused series on where/when to budget and where/when to spend the extra. I'm not sure of your computer/design skills, but I think it's awesome to design a garden for a client, then help them budget and spend when needed. I've learned a ton just from you, but it's scattered throughout your videos. Maybe starting a straight "budget gardening" series on building from scratch would be a good series. That way, you could dedicate videos on certain topics and break down the cost/rewards for buying $1,000 in materials to grow some tomatoes and cucumbers. Hopefully, that makes a little more sense of what I was trying to say.

[@cajunvegan7716]

In one day I've seen a positive bounce back with my shade cloth

[@CajunCannabis]

Putting mine up today. In nw louisiana

[@CajunCannabis]

Hoping mine will bounce back in nw louisiana.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It is immediately noticeable. Imagine how hard it would be for us to stand outside for 10 hours straight without moving. That's what our plants are dealing with. These conditions could actually kill a human being, so it goes to show how tough the plants actually are. If you give them shade, it's like us sitting on a covered porch versus literally dying in the sun.

[@bluebird9193]

My tomatoe plants are curling up and crying to me, "shade cloth! shade cloth! listen to MG! " OK OK I finally broke down and bought it. Mulch and drip irrigation already in place but with this hellish CA heat shade cloth is vital for their survival

[@chompers11]

😂 mine are curling up and shrinking and saying "no sun! Too cold!"

[@Trident_Euclid]

Does it get over 43°C in your region?

[@secretjourney4815]

@@Trident_Euclidno.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You won't regret it! It works miracles. I just made a post about leaf curl on my 2nd channel last week here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIeWpq2KjZxsptksi=Fa5LZc1lYDlcNqeQ

[@SMOKEtillUReyezBLEED]

Yeah this next week is about to be brutal. I didn’t trim much off the tomatoes so we have more shade luckily

[@Sunnylane02174]

We had a really hot spring here in Ohio this year & I had to put my tomatoes & peppers under shade cloth a couple weeks ago. It’s really a game changer. I’m starting to plan out my fall garden now. I’m so excited to do it! Thanks for all you do!

[@rebeccawolf3196]

What's growing on Millenial dude? I am so jealous of all the great harvests on KZbin lately. It is my first year gardening and I have harvested a total of 3 strawberries. Out of 25 plants. I have blooms on all my 12 pepper plants but no fruit yet, same with cucumbers. And something is eating my cabbages. Not to worry, I am not giving up....just thinking of this year as an experiment and experience for future seasons of gardening.

[@Ninabeana13]

Try hand pollination when you have blooms. Peppers and tomato flowers like to be lightly tickled, eggplant tickled in a circle starting from the middle of bloom. Curcubits have both male and female separated, male have a long slim stem and female has the smallest version of the fruit. Take an old paint brush, Qtip or similar and use the male flower pollen to exchange to the female flower. Hand pollination takes a few minutes in the morning depending on the size of your space, but it’s absolutely worth it! I have well over doubled the productivity!

[@justbrandie]

Drip Depot’s kits are amazing & I can’t thank you enough for the suggestion on them and the link! More affordable than I expected & a real time saver in the garden!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Drip Depot's parts are vastly superior to kits sold by retailers. It's not even close, yet it's close to the same price. I can't in good conscience recommend anyone else. They're awesome.

[@intuitivegina]

I absolutely love your sense of urgency. Seriously

[@TheMillennialGardener]

So many gardeners are so excited to shake off winter and get their garden started, but when it starts getting hot, they throw in the towel right before things are about to get good. Hopefully, this will help prevent that.

[@intuitivegina]

@@TheMillennialGardener yes ty❤️

[@ctimms417]

I would not be without my drip irrigation system. Game changer - worth every penny! And shade cloth allowed me to extend my spring broccoli season so it didn't bolt. I just put in some baby lettuce plants to replace the broccoli after it was finished. We'll see if I can get it to mature under the shade cloth before it bolts too.

[@kathleenboller6651]

Someone asked what’s the difference between soil and mulch? Answer? 6 months! Anyway I use the wasted hay my horses don’t eat. It’s a great shade and mulch solution and I have LOTS. In the native flower beds I lay it on thick, but in my vegetable beds, I use a thin layer. I learned the hard way when squash bugs figured out it was a hiding place for them! I have a sprinkler hose and didn’t know what it was….oh boy I’m definitely installing that in the garden! Thanks for sharing your expertise!

[@brittneyduncan6567]

I'm a RN growing in LA. I appreciate the medical references. Thank you! 💚

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! My mom was an RN and Brittany is a PA, so I hear enough about it...😅

[@chillaxing9272]

I live in zone 9A and I bought me a 40% shade cloth last year because of your videos last year. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain why this works in your videos. It has been well worth the investment.

[@honeybadgers1996]

Great points! Thank you. It’s always worthwhile to watch your videos to the end so I can see Dale😊 He is a one spoiled pop and that’s how all the dogs should be. Thank you for being a wonderful dad to Dale.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

He deserves it. He's such a good boy. I can't imagine life without him.

[@charlesyork4461]

after watching your video on the using shadecloth i built a 20ftx30ft 10ft3in high structure with cattle panels i could walk under it when my temp. was 95to100 and feel the difference at least 10 to 15 degrees lower. i live about 15 mile west of OCALA FL> so i understand high temp and humidity!! . great info. THANKS

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Isn't it unbelievable? It was 95 out the other day, but I was under my shade cloth tying up my tomatoes and picking them for 30-45 minutes, and I'm telling you, I was comfortable. It was a nightmare outside, but it's like a different world underneath. Even in Florida summers, you can garden year round under shade cloth.

[@clucksnducklins]

My first garden at my (then new) house 6 years ago did awesome.. Then every year since then the weather has gotten worse and it seems so has my garden. I used to barely have to do anything and it would thrive and look awesome.. now it feels like a chore taking care of it. I was hoping I wouldn't need shade cloth again this year but I might as well get some more. My love for gardening is really costing me lol 😂

[@joannc147]

Hmm…it’s not a “costly hobby” anymore….think of this as “cheap mental therapy”! 🤣🤣 Enjoy yourself out there!

[@clytriftg]

Ordered some 40% shade cloth because of your videos. Going to install it over my tomatoes this weekend. I do see heat related leaf curl on my indeterminate tomatoes so I’m hoping this will help that.

[@patwatersvlogs859]

It's brutal here in Florida ever since I've started watching and following you i learned alot of good information I put a mesh clear greenhouse tarp over my garden then i put shade tarp on the east side where the sun hits all day and i leave it up plus i added a solar fan my plants are so much more happier and at least 10 to 15 degrees cooler!

[@shiftstart]

I use wicking system. Simple and easy and the plants get the right amount of water every time. Plus, you know when to refill even during the hottest days.

[@anthonybacon7073]

I’ve been following some of your tips. Some are too late for my garden this year, but I’m going bigger next spring and expanding my garden and plant selection and use some of your methods. I live in eastern North Carolina area. I’d love to visit your garden and get some first hand ideas.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

If you’re in eastern NC, the growing season has only just begun. We still have 4-5 months left. It definitely isn’t too late to institute any of these things. The heat has barely started. Now is honestly the time.

[@hopecantrell8436]

Besides the shade cloth, the drip irrigation system was the best thing I did for my garden!! It was super easy to install and I didn’t worry when we went camping for a week. My garden was still beautiful when we returned.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I agree 100%. My two favorite investments ever are shade cloth and drip irrigation.

[@jamillefrancisco564]

I ordered a solar drip system from Amazon. We have a heatwave next week and we also need to turn off my water for major plumbing work. Wish me luck!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Interesting. I hope it works out for you!

[@kaaylaskorner]

That would work for me. I collect rain water for my plants in 32 gallon buckets. I'm 71 and this would be much easier for me. Which model did you buy? They have several.

[@thedirtygardener]

I pulled my tomatoes last week.. It’s too hot and humid here in Texas. I had spider mites on 80% of my crops already. 😢. I’m going to add shade for my peppers, though. I want to add - I really appreciate the depth of information you share in your videos. Other channels say “Hey, use shade cloth,” but you say “Use shade cloth BECAUSE OF X,Y,Z.” When we know the why we understand the what and become better gardeners. Thank you.

[@DustyRay-x4i]

Took on 1,200 square foot in ground garden this year with a late start in central ,Illinois. Very thankful for videos from experienced gardeners such as yourself for all the help I can get. Thank you.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! I'm glad I can help. Congrats on your plot!

[@soraiasalehi1378]

Omg my husband and I can’t wait for your next video, we really thank you so much for details we learned so much 🙏🏻we have a really nice vegetable garden because of you 🙌🙌🙌

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I appreciate it! I'm so happy to know the videos are helping. Great job!

[@designbyjus]

I built your exact hoop structure design and installed 40% shade cloth over my garden and it had made a difference already! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and tutorials. We couldn’t have done it without you!

[@TheNativeTwo]

I am in Northern California 9B. Don’t need shade cloth if I just mist the plants when it gets over 90-100F. We only get a few weeks of 100F, and the humidity is low so misting works well to protect from high heat. Grow like gangbusters in summer

[@ascricco987]

I found your channel three weeks ago. Since then, I now have insect netting on my beds, shade cloth above, and my linex sprinkler hose just arrived today! I can relate to everything you’re saying about July weather, I’m in Raleigh 🙄

[@joannc147]

Hey, I’m about 15 min away from you… 👋🏻 Hi! Remember rain? Ugh. I spent 2 and 1/2 hours just watering today. Veg were easy - I was also running soaking hoses around figs, persimmon. Pomegranate and my valuable ornamentals. It’s kinda scary at this point. I need to get my shade cloth installed as well. Good luck to you!

[@ascricco987]

@@joannc147 Same here, two hours of watering today! Then I sprayed my squash & tomato plants with Kaolin clay, first time using it. I’m pulling out all the stops, hoping my plants and I survive 😅 Good luck to you, also…and make sure to drink plenty of water!

[@joannc147]

@@ascricco987 RAINING now! Oh my….relief!

[@ml3110]

My dad uses the old hose method and his garden is absolutely gorgeous! I bought everything to install a drip system, so I'm going to pick a morning this week and go at it. ❤

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It's worth it. Drip irrigation is a lifesaver for me. It's saved me literally weeks of my life thus far 😅

[@Diane522]

It is true about the shading cloth!!! I am in zone 9b California, we started having 100 degrees since mid June, my tomatoes are thriving growing healthy leaves. I bought my shading cloth on Amazon for like 20 bucks, best decision ❤

[@jflizzle457]

Came for quick garden tips, but subscribed for Dale 😍

[@mcrump7421]

Shade tarp saved me up in New Hanover County. Its so nice. Great work as always sir.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It works miracles. We can't grow in our summers without it!

[@wifemomnurse]

Fantastic advice, love your laidback and information delivery as much as the beautiful garden and dog! Thank you for sharing your wisdom (central NC 8a).

[@jonathangibson6965]

I have found that the "cloth" soaker hoses work better than the rubber ones. They have less of a tendency to lose pressure towards the end of the hose. I'm switching to those as I speak, for now. Next year will be the year of the drip line 😂

[@joelrobertson71]

In AZ, I have to get shade cloth up in April. I have a very short window to grow tomatoes. Once the nighttime lows get over 80, the tomatoes go south and aren't worth wasting water on. The good news is we can overwinter them. Right now I'm down to cukes, cantelopes, peppers, sweet potatoes, okree, and eggplant. I have to do things differently here if I'm ever going to get good harvests. One thing that helps is to grow hybrids.

[@farmermarshall]

I just installed shade cloth this week. The heat/Sun in Georgia generally hits my garden really hard in July & August. I'm sure it's going to be a game changer! It also make it easier on me too!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're going to love the shade cloth. I recommend putting it up after Memorial Day moving forward.

[@kristin143]

I love that, "fighting chance"

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It's so true. Imagine if we as humans stood outside for 10 hours straight this time of year. I think the sun would literally kill us, so imagine the nightmare our plants are facing. They can't get up and walk away like we can, so we have to help them out.

[@muniondalenewyurk6777]

Shade cloth is a game changer! 😅 Thanks for this important tip for us new gardeners! Worked perfectly for my tomatoe & green pepper plants the past few days last week! I am in New York zone 7B! 👍🏽 The past two days we finally got rain and it’s cooling off at night too! Keeping my watering up consistently also in the early evenings when it’s cooler deep root watering as needed on my plants & flowers. Too hot & humid in the morning to be watering this month and next ! Learning from a lot of mistakes made last year! This is my 2nd year gardening! My tomatoes & peppers are starting to grow ! Can’t wait until my potatoes die off soon! Harvested some garlic, waiting for more to die off! Thanks for educating me & others regarding the UV levels to start using shade cloth! Happy gardening! Hopefully we will all have successful healthy harvests! Fingers crossed 🤞🏽 ! 😄❤️

[@smas3256]

Great to be prepared while praying for the best. Zone 6b Ct. Temps in the 80 and high 90's two tornado watches plus one fast moving storm very little rain in June. Finally got a break temps in 50's.and 60' at night. Florida weave + weave kept tomatoes up. Dale is cute. Lots of great info as always. Planning for July starting seeds.

[@Wellbaby94]

You’ve taught me well-I can successfully check off all five boxes!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Outstanding! I hope you're seeing good results.

[@BettyRaethz]

Thanks for letting us know about shade cloth for tomatoes & peppers!! We've had some hot weather in Chicago with heat index of 95/100 degrees. I could not believe what a difference the shade cloth did for my tomatoes within an hour the they stopped wilting🍅😄. Thanks for all your great information!

[@Homesteadintherough]

Zone 9b. We are about to have a week of 110 and above. Hopefully everyone and their gardens hold up!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

We just got done 2 weeks of that. Nonstop 110 degree heat index. We're having a short break yesterday and today, and then we're right back in it. Everything is holding up under shade cloth and drip irrigation.

[@Homesteadintherough]

@@TheMillennialGardener you are selling that idea I’ll tell you. I’m doing top water right now. damn near no pruning though to keep things as shaded as possible. Fairly new to the world but have been farm adjacent my whole life

[@seanfitz2468]

I'm a busy Sr Welder full time dad w two full time kids boy will be 10 daughter will be 14. Shade cloth is something that is very underrated. I have bought it for the first time this yr just like a 10x25 I can't remember the size but it was more then what I needed. Some nights of not getting things done due to what ever you have to get done and some things don't get watered it's nice to buy you time to a point to revive your plant that could be dying. Water revive apply shade cloth and your plant will come back.

[@Steve-hg5kp]

I found in WA that using yard waste as mulch is risky due to the possibility of spreading disease. Also, I found that using properly broken down products are better than raw wood chips and bark. Don't forget to adjust pH with dolomite lime/ calcium carbonate.

[@Dustin_Mc]

Definitely glad to see these videos for help. Starting up a tomato farm over here in East Texas, it’s so hot but I’m not going to stop : ) getting some peppers happening as well

[@DanlowMusic]

I like channels like yours, Sandy Bottom and Stoney Acres are all reminding us to get started on fall gardens. Something I've really wanted to learn and excel in.

[@thinkwy13]

I’m fixing shade structure due to serious rain downpour. But it has been a lifesaver. Installing drip irrigation in fall too hot now.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Maybe check out that drip hose I placed a link to in the video description? It can be run in 5-10 mins. It could be a cheap option to make it through summer.

[@aw3454]

My dad likes your videos a lot and I agree ❤

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! I appreciate it!

[@sugarbush3569]

I bought a shade cloth because of your video and it has helped so much !! Thank you 😊

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Excellent! You’re going to love it.

[@xdraconicgaming5204]

We just had 33 degrees Celsius with 70% humidity here in Newfoundland for a few days. It was unbearable. Imagine this. 30 years ago our winters were 7 months long and had 16 verticle feet of snowfall during winter… now we have the same grow season as North Carolina.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Ah, it's been hotter than that every day here for the last 3 weeks 😆 But we get used to it, here. Anytime it drops below 10C here, it's miserable. We don't get to adapt to the cold. Every summer, there are days with extreme heat, extreme rainfall, a pattern of drought, etc. We just have short memories. I bought a weather station so I could log all these things, because we can't seem to remember on our own without looking back.

[@carlashuler5004]

I have the best tomato plants and fruit this year than ever before. I attribute it to adding shade cloth. Thank you.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It is absolutely miraculous for tomatoes in most climates. Shade cloth is worth its weight in gold!

[@DarryllMah]

Your explanation is sooo clear. I will be ready for this summer here in Brisbane Australia, thanks to you!!😅

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I'm glad to hear it! I think your "winters" may be more pleasant than your summers in Brisbane 😀

[@ObsessiveAboutCats]

Yes yes yes, 100% to all of this. Especially the drip irrigation!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Drip irrigation is *the* biggest time-saver in the garden. If I can give 3 pieces of advice to any gardener, it is install drip irrigation in spring, install shade cloth in summer, and use weed barrier wherever you can to keep weeding at a minimum.

[@cookingwithrila]

Very helpful information .now I got all my answers.

[@marvinbrock960]

I installed drip irrigation this year in my in-ground garden.. row crop setup from Drip depot.. it’s been awesome! Then went to the overhead 40% shade cloth! Wow! The difference is unbelievable. I’m in Eastern ARKANSAS and it’s been brutal! Many days hitting 100 degrees already..

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Yep. Shade cloth + drip irrigation is *the* magic formula. I've been doing everything I can to broadcast this message over the last 3 years, because nobody was talking about it. I had to figure this out on my own 😆 It's absolutely incredible, and it makes the worst, most nightmarish summers growable.

[@chocolate_chip21]

Great video! I live in New England so my second round of cucumbers and squash is being transplanted this weekend (before July). You are so right, why fight nature.

[@cheersmeme]

2 years ago I laid 1/2" drip tubing with the 1/4" tubing going to the plants. It was a lot of hard work putting it all together. Just to pull it all out in the fall and put in the basement for winter. Last year was sooooo frustrating trying to untangle all the tubing and figure out where it goes. GRRRRR 🤬🤬 It looked horrible. So much tubing everywhere. What a mess.. So this year back in February, Rona had a sale on the 1/2 " tubing. 100' for $13.00 what a deal. I had no idea what I was going to do with it. Sure am happy I bought it. What I did was lay it all around the garden. Then using the smallest drill bit, I drilled tiny holes on the bottom of the 1/2" tubing about 12 or so inches apart. Making sure all the soil would get watered. I turn the hose on with just a little bit of pressure to have the drip drip drip. Even using a little pressure the water is actually going right to the end of the hose. No more tubing everywhere. If I have a hole that I don't need, I use the pliers to pop a goof plug in and plug it.. It's working so much better than using all the emitters, they get clogged, pop off, or just don't work right.. I have turn off valves in places that don't need as much water . The timer is set to do it's job the rest of the summer. I wish I did it this way in the first place. Would of saved me so much $$$ , Time, Frustration, Energy, more $$$. A budget-friendly easy to set up drip irrigation idea that really works.😊 Great tips for July. It sure is a busy month for gardeners. Awwww Dale ... Love watching what your next adventure is.. Cheers from Canada

[@kemtee]

Thanks for the pep talk. I really needed to hear that now, as I view the wreck of my 8a veggie patch.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

These tips will prevent that. I am in zone 8, and now was when my garden would be dying. Today, it is thriving. These things have changed my summers from deadly to heavenly for the plants. We don’t have to put up with the outdoor conditions.

[@drjekyll1994]

i used the maple seeds 'helicopters' as a mulch this year i had so many that i wanted to get some use of them

[@rockyusa2012]

Great tips. I will try the shade cloth. I have been struggling to try the best way to install drip irrigation.

[@dirkplexiglass2542]

Yep..all true!! I love my shade cloth and drip irrigation. Plants under there are doing great!! Thanks for the tips.

[@kristahewett7080]

I'm so glad I ran across your channel. I live in Brunswick County and it's great to have someone who knows how to garden in our area. Thank you for teaching me how to garden in zone 8b, My dog used to bury her face behind pillows. I always thought it may have something to do with being in a litter of puppies piled on top of each other sleeping and they just feel cozy like when they were pups. I miss my girl terribly. Love up on your precious boy, for as you know, they aren't with us near long enough.

[@ashleys637]

As always, you are the G.O.A.T of gardening advice. The shade in the south (USA) is rly necessary. I actually have a part of my yard that gets dappled (giant pine tree overhead) light, and I'm considering planting a bed of tomatoes there next season, to see if it would eliminate the need for shade cloth. Also, as someone super frustrated with the pest-susceptibility of zucchini, try honeynut squash. No, not the same thing, but it's a butternut of manageable size whose vines are too hard for vine borers to penetrate. I've had great success when growing them surrounded by nasturtiums (as recommended by this channel). Keep up the good work!

[@Freedom2025-x2b]

Really love your videos. I’m in Central Florida 9b so I need to add minimally 4 to 6 weeks to plant my backyard veggies based on the info you provide us.

[@monicahockersmith6627]

Phoenix AZ. My tomatoes are spent. Pruning & hoping for best.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

In your case, I would get 50% shade cloth up ahead in early to mid-May. I think if you do that, you'll be surprised how long you can grow them. I think if you prepare early next year, you can do really well. You may be able to place shade cloth over them now, then cut them back and hit them with strong fertilizer to rejuvenate them or replace them with new plants.

[@marvinbrock960]

I’ve used so much of your information over the past few years! Thank You. I’m also in 8a so your info is close..

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome! I appreciate you watching.

[@patkrueger7353]

I think i might try the old school soaker hoses i really liked that idea😊. We finally got over our heat wave here in PA. They rezoned and now I'm 7 instead of 6b. Whatever. My cukes are sliw growing. I have dome in my greenhouse that are doing better thank you for all of this info. You never disturb a sleeping dog. He looked so cute and comfy. Our dog sleeps all the way under the covers with my grandson..

[@jasonm887]

I use a soaker hose and a timer for my garden, and it works great! I've been using it for 3 years now, and it has been a game changer. I highly recommend it!

[@patkrueger7353]

@@jasonm887 thank you for your response

[@Bohohank]

Here in surf city I’m feeling the pain. Last month I was getting 5 strawberries a day and now many are cooked brown. Time for shade cloth

[@gcc2313]

Stone mulch can be fine for xeriscaping tho its decent for ornamental use. In like a front garden. But for the rest of the garden i would indeed recommend organic types

[@TheMillennialGardener]

If you don't care about the plant, or it's something that doesn't do much, like a yuccas, some certain species of palms, cacti or succulents that don't need much organic matter, stone mulch may be fine. That is often used in the Southwest due to the lack of rain. But, if you're in an area that gets rainfall and you're interested in fruiting plants, flowering plants or want deep, dark, lush foliage, you want a mulch that will break down and add organic matter to the soil.

[@thedirtygardener]

I hope you do a video when you start your next round of determinate tomatoes. I’d love to know what varieties you prefer.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I have a video coming out in 3 hours today that explains exactly that.

[@MissyWhite-r2o]

Learning so much! Thanks!

[@scottroberts5492]

Love your shade cloth setup! I would welcome a good T-storm here in coastal NC. Need a good soaking!!!..lol

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It rained like crazy in Wilmington yesterday. Absolute blinding rain. It missed where I live in Brunswick County, though. I drove home in a flood to find the home bone dry.

[@scottroberts5492]

I live in craven a mile off the Neuse river, was the same here rain all around except my house...lol

[@wvdiggingroots]

Got 2 shade fabric up now ordering 4 more today

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Excellent! They work miracles.

[@daisyguerrero3650]

I followed your advise and put up 40% shade cloth. I’m thinking that I should have opted for 70% because it still feels hot. Anyway I have to install and dismantle everyday because I don’t have a lot of early morning sun. My plants look better and they don’t wilt during the day anymore. I love your videos because they are straight and to the point and Extremely informative. Gardening has made me a hack, inventive and proud that I can make things grow. Do you have any suggestions on growing lettuce in the height of summer?

[@LauraAronson]

Thank you so much for your videos. I always learn so much from you and your reminders are very timely. 😊

[@TheMillennialGardener]

I appreciate it! I'm glad the videos are helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@deecooper1567]

Thanks for sharing & encouragement 👵🏻👩‍🌾❣️

[@TheMillennialGardener]

You're welcome!

[@FosterFarmsOk]

been way hot and dry here. July is usually my "start new stuff from seed" inside month. corn, tomatoes and beans are coming in strong

[@TheMillennialGardener]

The same thing happened here. It's like summer flicked a switch about 10 days ago. We were actually having a fairly tolerable June from a humidity standpoint. The last 10 days have been unbelievable; every day between 92-98 degrees and the most intense humidity possible. Under the shade cloth, it's pretty good, though.

[@andrewcampbell7011]

Harbor freight has 50’ drip hoses for $10. With a few splitters and patch hoses you can cover a kitchen garden for under $100.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

That's fine and all, but for the same $100, you can build a real deal drip irrigation system that will actually stand up to many years of weather. I am using a sprinkler hose for my trees, but it's a temporary fix. That hose can't sit outside in the sun for years on end. It'll fail after a season or two. Real drip irrigation lasts many years. My main line tubing is going on 4 years old and is as good as new. Temporary solutions are fine, but if you want a permanent system, it's best to go with real drip irrigation from somewhere like Drip Depot that sells quality stuff.

[@TexasNana2]

Thank you for sharing your wonderful tips. But.. more importantly Thank you for sharing sweet boy Dale ❤ 🙂

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Dale appreciates the love. He's a hog and will take every little bit of it 😄

[@mollykuslikis6007]

It's cold and rainy here in Michigan.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Here, it won't rain. I've never seen anything like it in the 7 years I've lived here. Usually, we're floating down the street on a door like Titanic this time of year.

[@mollykuslikis6007]

You can have our rain and coolness.

[@ChuckP25.]

Great video, Anthony. My cucumbers are toast. Well, there's always next year. Between the voles and the wind storms, I'm waving the white flag. I killed the voles, but it's too late. Thumbs up. Hugs to Dale.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Oh, don’t give up. You should be planting 3-4 crops of cucumbers and zucchini every year. They don’t live more than 2 months after transplant. You aren’t supposed to keep them alive all summer. I just started 3 trays of new seeds yesterday. Start a second crop now and a 3rd crop in 6 weeks. Just keep replacing the plants.

[@IllumeEltanin]

I’m going to suggest it again: Research ollas for efficient watering when installing drip irrigation is not an option. I have two 6’x3’ metal raised beds in a community garden. The spigot and hose is shared with about 20 other gardeners. I can not claim use of the water frequently and as long as needed to run drip irrigation. Instead, I made 4 ollas out of two 6” terra cotta flower pots and one 4” terra cotta pot each. I buried two of the homemade ollas in each of my raised beds. Once equalized, my soil stays consistently moist and the only supplemental watering I’ve been doing is using my water soluble fertilizer every other week. Currently, I refill the ollas about once a week. It takes about 3 gallons of water to fill all four ollas on a weekly basis, as the ollas are still about a third to half full when I refill them. While we had a couple of days with highs in the 80s, our temperatures here on the Eastside of Seattle has been a bit cooler than usual. I do suspect I may need to refill the ollas twice a week when our intense heat arrives. But my soil remains consistently moist, and even 6 gallons a week of water is far less than I used last year, even with a soaker hose used similarly to your method of drip irrigation with one. Seriously, at least research them, and see if you want to give them a try. I’m very happy with my experience with them, so far.

[@lidip8700]

I've never heard of this. I'm going to research it for sure. Currently I have drip hoses running on each bed for 4 hrs, and only water 3 at the same time, then switch tob3 more, its a tasks because in have to schedule my laundry & other watering around those hours.

[@IllumeEltanin]

@@lidip8700 I learned about making and installing ollas mostly from watching videos from Pend Orielle Innovation Center. Do a search for them and then scroll first to the video about how to make the ollas and then to the video about how to install them. There are also lots of videos on using ollas. Many say the water only seeps out a little ways, but the roots of the plants seek out the ollas and wrap themselves around the ollas. I have not yet taken my ollas out of my raised beds, but for me they are seriously keeping my soil moist throughout my raised beds with two of them installed.

[@AnotherLameBot]

Oh man, I pray for it to only be 93 degrees.. but that humidity adds like 20 degrees lol.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Only 93 degrees? 93 degrees here is hotter than 103 in Las Vegas. We've been trapped under a 110 degree heat index advisory for the last 2 weeks. If someone from the Southwest came here right now thinking they'd cool down to 93 degrees, they'd be on the next plane desperate for their 105 degree temps. It's been absolutely awful here, and there is no escape from it. At least in dry, hot climates, you can run into the shade, but here, the shade holds the same humidity. The reason why shade cloth is so effectively is largely due to reduced UV intensity, which stops the plants from being burned and stressed.

[@earthisflat]

I use mini flake, seems to work pretty well just cant apply that much water pressure on it since its essentially sawdust

[@michaelmosley254]

I'm to late in the game now but next year the good Lords will Imma getting some shade cloth the luffas I have growing is gone crazy in this heat

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It's definitely not too late to get shade cloth. I'll be using mine until mid-September. There is plenty of time, and your plants will thank you profusely.

[@jeribrockington800]

Thank you for sharing

[@51rwyatt]

Your shade cloth idea is pretty darn interesting. Doesn't apply as much to me (Maine) but big huge deal for folks Zone 6 and up. Like Houston, Texas -- I bet shade cloth would be really helpful in that type of place.

[@jackielong9927]

Thank you for the video. It was very informative. I love your dog and the way he covers his eyes. My dogs do the same 😂❤❤❤

[@gmg9100]

Me watching this in August about to find out how far behind I am on garden chores.

[@oregonfelder1]

I bought shade cloth, but won’t install until after 4th of July weekend because we always get firework debris around my house and I don’t want the cloth getting burned.

[@shirleysuchdolski6042]

Terrific video! I wanted to start some plants now

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it 😀

[@GreenThumbGardener65]

I need to install automatic watering for my greenstalks.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Automated watering is maybe the biggest single time-saver one can do in summer. It's awesome.

[@kristin143]

great advice! yes im actually thinking fall where summer just started for us!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

EXACTLY! When July 1 rolls around, you need to have a September 1 mentality. If it weren't for hurricane season, I would look forward to September 😅

[@happierinthesunshine]

I just discovered your channel and am learning so much! I'm also in NC, but in the mountains. Something I always want to see from the gardeners I follow, but rarely hear about is... what do you do with your harvest?? A quick comment here and there about your plans for harvesting would be super helpful, including favorite recipes if you can or preserve. I feel like I'm getting the hang of veggie and fruit gardening, but am still overwhelmed come harvest time. Thanks for all of your great tips!

[@TheMillennialGardener]

It sounds too simple, but I eat it. The problem most people with gardens have is they don't change their eating and shopping habits. They buy all the same things at the grocery store, so they wind up with too much food, because their garden is producing on top of their regular shopping. Stop buying produce. Don't buy anything but meat and dairy. Force yourself to feed yourself from your garden. You'll find you'll turn into a seasonal eater and you'll go through incredible amounts of food. To make one pot of tomato sauce, it takes 8 entire blenders full of tomatoes once you cook it down. We're talking 20-30lbs of tomatoes for a 12qt pot of tomato sauce. And if you make a cucumber and tomato salad for a family of 4, you're talking 3-5 cucumbers and 3-5 tomatoes each night. That's a lot. You'll burn through them in no time if you force yourself to live off your garden.

[@happierinthesunshine]

@@TheMillennialGardener That is actually really helpful. Thanks!

[@singanddance-q9b]

My garden is thriving.

[@TheMillennialGardener]

Excellent!

[@singanddance-q9b]

@@TheMillennialGardener Big thanks to you!

[@josharcher8094]

@@TheMillennialGardenerexcept you don’t know what monstrosities this guy is growing. Lol. Love the username. Love HP Lovecraft too.

[@humanbeing4368]

Could you possibly do a video on how much say a tomato or any crop of your choice, cost you from start to finish and compare it to perhaps purchasing one from a farmers market?

[@secretjourney4815]

I thought pine straw was acidic and not good for the garden?? I’m pretty new to NC and this is what I was told. Thank you

[@TheMillennialGardener]

No, that isn't true. Using pine straw as mulch will not significantly impact soil pH. It is relatively neutral.