Pretty Simple Gardens
Summer Luvin
Deadheading Flowers
Deadheading plants will help produce more blooms. Grab your snippers and go out for a relaxing stroll in your garden. I drop the deadheaded flowers in my garden to decompose. It's good food for the plants. And my plants thank me for it by continuing to flower.
Watering
Watering properly should not be a daily, time consuming task. The key is to water deeply every few days (if it hasn't rained) so that roots grow deeply. Roots have little water sensors on them and if they grow deeply the plants will be healthier and more able to survive dry spells in the summer.
Remember that if water pools quickly on dry dirt, that the dirt is REALLY dry and will take a bit to be able to absorb the water.
If you're experiencing a drought and notice water pooling or not absorbing quickly, it is not likely because your soil is magically moist. Soil seems to create a barrier at the surface that you'll need to break through. Healthy soil does a great job absorbing water.
If you are finding your soil is drying quickly then keep layering on compost and mulch. The more organic material decomposing and feeding the microbes the healthier your plants will be. And, most importantly, your soil will retain more water.