Remember when you were so excited to dig in and get your garden growing last spring? Then summer hit, and along with it came outdoor adventures, vacation plans and socializing with friends and family. So most likely, taking care of all those plants you worked so hard to grow just a few months ago isn’t at the top of your list.
We’re here to help, with these easy lawn and garden tips for July.
July Gardening Tips
- Pay special attention to newly established plants, keeping them watered during dry weather.
- Remember: allow water to penetrate deeply into soil (rather than sprinkling frequently and lightly).
- Apply mulch – especially around young or vulnerable plants – to help conserve soil moisture and control weeds.
- Do not plant bare-root or ball-and-burlap stock at this time of year.
- Container-grown plants can still be planted, but make sure to keep them well-watered.
- If you have fruit trees, continue a spray program to keep diseases and insects under control.
- Remove water sprouts (sprouts from the trunk) and suckers (sprouts from the roots) from fruit trees.
- Pinch off faded rose blossoms. Continue a rose spray program to control insects and diseases.
- Mulch garden to control weeds and conserve soil moisture.
- Remove faded blossoms from annual and perennial flowers to prevent seed formation.
- The foliage of spring-flowering bulbs can be removed safely after they fade. This is also a good time to lift the bulbs for transplanting or propagation.
July Lawn Tips
- Avoid ‘lawn-mower blight,’ which is when tree trunks and shrubs get nicked by the lawn mower. This can lead to severe plant injury and even death.
- When watering lawns, apply 1 to 1.5 inches of water in a single application per week (avoid frequent, light sprinklings, as this will encourage roots to stay shallow, making them more susceptible to drought).
- Take care of your bluegrass! It’s a cool-season plant, and is under great stress during hot, dry summers. If water is not applied, the bluegrass will become dormant and turn brown until more favorable conditions arrive in autumn. For extreme dry conditions, rescue watering is required to keep the plants alive, while still dormant. Apply one-half inch of water every 2-4 weeks.
- Mow grass one-half inch higher than usual during the dry, summer months to help conserve soil moisture. Do not mow when lawn is under severe drought stress.
- Don’t remove clippings from the lawn unless grass is excessively tall or weedy. Clippings return some nutrients to the soil and do not add to thatch buildup.
And don’t forget, now is the perfect time to make those landscaping (and hardscaping) plans for fall. Give us a call, and we’ll help you create the outdoor living space of your dreams.