Get your flower beds noticed with all the color of the Coleus, hibiscus, penta, plumbago, marigold, zinnia, periwinkle, petunia, ageratum, just to name a few. These plants are not only showy, they are heat and drought resistant and a good addition to any flowerbed.
Your houseplants can spend the summer outdoors. Assure they are sheltered from the sun’s direct rays and any hard winds/rain. Feed and water them regularly.
Now is the time for the second and last fertilize application for the centipede yards and you can fertilize Zoysia lawns now with the lawn fertilizer 16-4-8.
Palms are in active growth cycle during the summer and need the extra magnesium sulfate. You can use an 8-2-12. We carry a complete line of Palm Fertilizers from 5 to 50 lbs as well as Magnesium Sulfate.
Most trees & shrubs are poised for a second flush of growth and should be fertilized with a ratio of 12-6-6.
Assuring your plants/trees and or garden get plenty of water should be your biggest concern during the heat of the summer. Add a rain gauge in your garden/yard to keep up with the amount of rain you’ve had to help you keep up with how much you need to supplement. Remember to deep water, not just spray over the plants. Don’t forget your plants on the porches and decks, those beautiful container gardens and hanging baskets you have around. They need to be checked more often and possibly watered more frequently as they have such a small space to store water.
Your irrigation may be supplying the lawn with all the water it needs but make sure the plants and trees are also being watered well by it. They have deeper roots than sod and should be checked for additional watering. Consider drip irrigation for the plants/trees. You may want to consider drip irrigation for the container plants and/or hanging baskets as well.
Do not prune your azaleas and rhododendrons after the second week of July. They are beginning to set new buds for next year’s blooms.
Deadheading is the chore for this month. Cleaning out the faded and spent flowers. There are some that you maybe holding out for those seeds but once you have collected those, it’s time to make way for the new. Regular deadheading of some of our plants of today, just make the plants produce more and more for long showy seasons.
This is also a good time to clean out any dead or diseased plants or limbs/stems.
This is the beginning of the hottest parts of summer and the thought of garden chores can really cause us to groan, but stick with it. Every small amount you do adds up. So if you have a large chore, break it down into smaller jobs, pick the morning or evening time to do it when the heat isn’t so bad and before you know it, you’re done.
While working in the yard, pay attention to yourself as well. Make sure you drink plenty of liquids for hydration, wear a sun block to help prevent sunburn and take breaks often, preferably in the shade. If you have a health condition that may be aggravated by extreme heat or exertion, consider a medic alert bracelet or necklace for your additional protection.
These hot days are good days to start planning your fall gardens because you can do that inside. These is also a good time to check in with your local nursery to see what new flowers they may have gotten in and what may have gone on sale to make way for the next season.
To help keep the mosquitoes down in your yard, eliminate any standing water. It is the prime incubator for mosquitoes.
Keep weeds from your gardens/flowerbeds. The weeds use up the nutrients and water you have provided for your planting. Top-dress your mulch if it has settled too much or washed away.
You can aide your Roses in the prevention of a rose disease by having a fungicide spray program.
You should scout for insects and disease to stay on top of it. To look for the hard to see insects, hold a sheet of white paper below a branch and tap the branch. Look at what falls off, if the black spot moves, you have an insect problem. It would need to be identified and dealt with before it causes any or more problems.
Did that last rainfall remind you of that low spot in your yard? Add a good topsoil but if your low spot is more of a hole, add gradually so your grass will grow up through it and establish it as the new height of that area.
Keep your lawn at about three inches so the grass actually shades its roots and the soil. This helps to retain water and keep roots from the heat of the direct sun. As we said last month, don’t bag your clippings, this is a good way to return the nitrogen back to the soil and it doesn’t cost a thing.