Get out and weed early in the mornings or just before sunset. Weeds compete with your prize plants for precious water during the hot summer. Pinch back chrysanthemums for bushier plants with more blooms this fall. Stake them to support heavily flowered plants. Canes that bore blackberries this season should be pruned to the ground and new canes trailing on the ground should be gently trained around the trellis.
Check cucumbers daily and pick at the first sign of maturity to promote a heavy crop.
Don't allow roses to dry out. Maintain watering basins around each rose and apply a layer of mulch to retain moisture during hot spells and ensure more flowers in late summer and into fall. Named for Gaillard de Charentonneay, an 18th century Frenchman who befriended the fledgling science of botany, gaillardia's ability to thrive during hot summers makes it ideal for the Sacramento area. It grows wild on the prairies and plains of Central and Southwestern regions of the United States. Showy, daisy-like flowers are generally red with yellow tips, although some cultivars bear flowers with orange, purple or maroon hues.