To give your Summer Crush the best start, focus on site selection and soil prep.

: Apply a slow-release, high-phosphorus "bloom boost" fertilizer (like Flower-tone ) twice a year: once in early spring and again in June or July. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which encourage foliage growth at the expense of flowers.

: Achieved in alkaline or neutral soil (pH 6.0 and above). Add garden lime to raise the pH if your soil is too acidic.

: Removing spent blooms in early summer can encourage a second flush of flowers later in the season.