(Note: Some tasks from last month can carry over into this month due to the closeness in the season. If you have already performed any of these tasks, enjoy the feeling of having that task complete!)
LAWNS
- Click here for a link to Evergreen’s 4 Step DIY lawncare program. Spot spraying can also be done. We suggest one keeping a small 1-2 gallon pump spray dedicated to a selective lawn herbicide, such as Fertilome Weed Out, for spot spraying selective weeds on a selective basis.
- Brown Patch can become a problem this month. Read more about it here.
- During dry spells, water the lawn thoroughly and deeply in the morning. Watering in the morning ensures it is dry by nightfall and helps prevent any disease or fungal issues. Watering deeply encourages deep root growth and helps the lawn stay hydrated. A good deep watering a few times a week is better than a light daily sprinkle.
- Keep lawns mowed at a 3-4″ grass height. Shorter lawns get more stressed and cause unsightly drying out especially during hot & dry periods.
TREES & SHRUBS
- Deadhead any faded and spent blooms on your Roses and don’t forget to fertilize monthly with Fertilome Rose Food.
- Apply Liquid Iron to Azaleas & Rhododendrons. It doesn’t encourage new growth for these Spring bloomers but enhances foliage size and color.
- For Roses, Azaleas, Hemlocks, Holly, and many forms of deciduous shrubs, insects such as Aphids, Lacebug, Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, soft scales, and more begin to infest and graze on the foliage and internal fluids of these shrubs. A great and easy to apply soil drench insecticide, Fertilome Tree & Shrub Insecticide Drench, is a system insecticide that is applied to the soil and root area and taken up by the shrub for a year long of insect control. No spraying or difficult to apply methods. Simply follow the instructions for the shrub or tree size and blend with a bit of water to apply to the soil and root area.
GENERAL LANDSCAPE
- Fill your birdbaths with water daily to give your feathered friends some much needed moisture on these hot & dry July days.
- Standing watering is a great mosquito breeding ground so on that note – a daily refill of water will help prevent any breeding grounds.
VEGETABLE GARDENS
- Keep harvesting those summer veggies. Read more here.
- Prepare extra vegetables you don’t use fresh by properly canning and freezing them.
- You can start fall crop seeds this month, as well. We have our first crop of starter plants in stock now.
- Water in the morning. Avoid watering the hot afternoon and the evening (evening watering can encourage fungal/mildew issues)
PERENNIALS
- Remove any faded blooms or stalks also known as “deadheading”. This helps prolong blooming and encourages more new blooms to appear while maintaining a neat appearance.
- Divide and replant Bearded Iris this month. After blooming, cut back foliage by 2/3, divide rhizomes (remove any dead rhizomes) and replant with 1/3 of the rhizome above soil level. Read more about Bearded Iris this month here.
FLOWER BEDS & CONTAINERS
- Yes – you still can buy beautiful summer flowers! Summer flowers bloom until first frost which frequently doesn’t occur until October here so you have plenty of time to enjoy their lovely bright colors. You can also use fresh summer annuals to freshen up pots that have fizzled out in the heat.
- Don’t forget to fertilize flowering containers every other week with Fertilome 20-20-20 and deadhead any faded flowers to maintain a neat appearance and encourage further blooming.
- Pick herbs for fresh use and drying. Use dried lavender in satchels to freshen drawers and closets. (They also make great gifts!) It’s best to gather herbs mid-morning after the dew dries but before the mid-afternoon sun causes them to wilt.
- Take pictures of your garden in it’s peak. It will be an easy reference for what you want to repeat next year and what you may not.
WATER GARDENS
- Adding new plants and fish are among those things often done in spring but can be done at any time of the year from Spring thru fall.
- Always keep some Dechlorinator “Pond Detox” on hand in the case of an accidental condition of overfilling with tap water. Often pond owners will add water to the water garden from their tap water source having chlorine and other metals present. Any time more than 20-25% of the pond’s water volume is added new, a dechlorinator product should be added to ensure that your fish are not killed. Chlorine in heavier volume will kill pond hard fish. Most pond owners have experienced accidentally leaving on a water hose too long to only find out that they don’t have a dechlorinating product on hand. We advise to always keep some on hand for when this may occur.
