Get ready to harvest garlic

If you planted your garlic in October, it'll be ready to harvest in July. Begin watering less, allowing the soil to dry between waterings to prevent mold problems. Also remove any flower buds that form at the top leaf to prevent energy being wasted on producing seed.

Harvest the garlic when there are four leaves left on the stalk. Each leaf equals one layer of skin covering the bulb, and if you wait too long to harvest, the cloves may separate, allowing dirt to get between the cloves.

Dry the bulbs in a cool, shady and well-ventilated location for about two weeks before storing. You can braid soft-neck garlic and it will store up to a year. Hard-neck has stronger flavor, but you can't braid it and it won't store as long. Hang it in a mesh bag, and use it within six months.

Keep an eye out for new day-lily pest

A troublesome new pest called day-lily midge was first discovered in Whatcom County, and now it's been reported in Brier, Bellevue and Normandy Park. Look for and remove any deformed, brownish buds that resemble golf balls or triangles as soon as you see them.

Seal the buds in a plastic bag and throw them in the garbage — do not put them in compost piles. Infected buds that fall on the ground can contain anywhere from one to 300 maggots, and the larvae enter the soil where they pupate to re-emerge and infect more buds next spring.

The early-blooming varieties are the most susceptible, while later-blooming varieties are relatively resistant. If you get this pest, you could try growing the highly susceptible varieties H. "Wynnson," "Fairy Firecracker" and H. "Leprechaun's Wealth" as trap plants. The infected buds can be removed and destroyed regularly, and the midges are so drawn to these varieties that they often leave neighboring day lilies alone. For more information, go to http://whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/homehort/pest/C_quinquenotata.htm.

Visit Sequim's lavender fields

Do you ever dream of hopping on a plane to visit Provence? Well, forget the plane! You'll find everything you love in Provence at the 13th Annual Sequim Lavender Festival, Friday through Sunday. It's the biggest lavender event in North America, featuring seven magnificent lavender farms and a huge street fair with more than 120 arts-and-crafts booths, some carrying specialty lavender products.

As you wander through the fair booths, you won't go hungry or thirsty. You'll find both a food court, specializing in delicious local Olympic Coast cuisine, as well as a wine and beer garden with live music.

The street fair is free to the public, and the $15 admission fee to visit the gardens is good for all three days.

Activities include winery tours, a gourmet "Celebrate Lavender Dinner," Sunset Marine Cruises and a golf tournament. In the evening, stroll down Washington Street to enjoy jazz bands, good food and wine, and after-hours shopping, all part of "Jazz in the Alley."

Make sure you come to the opening-day festivities on Friday to catch my talk about great drought-tolerant plants for your summer garden, on the main stage at the street fair. Visit www.lavenderfestival.com for information and advance ticket sales.

Ciscoe Morris: ciscoe@ciscoe.com. "Gardening with Ciscoe" airs at 10 a.m. Saturdays on KING-TV.