Biennial seeds can be started now for flowers next year. Annuals can be planted
from seeds or starts. Fertilize regularly to keep them healthy and blooming.
Planting a few perennials in bloom each month will insure continuous flowers in your
yard.
Vegetables: Sow a second planting of beets, radishes and carrots. Cabbage, broccoli
and lettuce can be planted in a cooler, partly shaded area for a late crop. Regular
even watering reduces bitter lettuce, hard carrots and blossom end rot on tomatoes.
Fertilizing tomatoes with bone meal also prevents blossom end rot.
Spring Bulbs Care
Remove the spent flowers after they finish blooming so they won't use up energy
producing seeds. Do not cut off the leaves because they are needed to store up food
for next spring's flowers. Remove the leaves when they turn yellow and start to dry.
Lawn Care
Set mowing height to 3 inches. Taller lawns need less water and fertilizer to
keep them green. Mulch the grass clippings back into the lawn to build up the soil
and reduce fertilizer needs.
Water the lawn deeply to encourage a deeper root system. A deep watering two or three
times a week is much better than watering every day. Put tuna or pet food cans around
the lawn to see how much water is applied. Lawns need an inch of water
each week when temperatures are near 70 degrees, more during hot weather.
Trees and Shrubs
Spread compost or bark mulch an inch deep around trees and shrubs, but don't cover
lower branches. This conserves water by cooling the soil and discouraging weeds.
Most trees and shrubs prefer deep watering once a week.
Pruning
Pinch back mums, impatiens, dahlias and leggy plants to keep them compact.
Remove suckers and water sprouts on trees. Plucking them off when they are soft is
much easier than cutting them off later, and they are less likely to re-sprout.
Pests
Continue to spray for leaf spot diseases as long as rainy weather continues.
Spray deciduous azaleas with Daconil or Immunox every two weeks to prevent powdery mildew.
Spray rhododendrons twice a month through August for root weevils if the leaves have
notches on the edges.
Check rhododendrons and azaleas for tiny, light brown spots on the underside of the
leaves caused by lace bugs. Severely damaged leaves are almost white. Spray with a
product containing Imidacloprid, such as, Bayer Advanced Garden Tree and Shrub Insect
Control, or Spinosad, such as Captain Jack’s Dead Bug Brew, to prevent lace bug damage.
Both are toxic to bees, so do not use until flowers have dropped off.
Watch for aphids and other insects. Spray when insects are causing damage.
Fertilizing
Give a second feeding to bulbs, rhodies and azaleas when they have finished blooming.
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