July is officially here and can be a hot and dry month. Be prepared to give your plants a little more attention. Hot weather has adverse effects on plants. July can be one of the hottest and driest months of the year. Our plants need water. Be water-wise. Hand watering is the best. The best time to water is early in the morning or late evening. A good, slow soaking is best. Container gardens will dry out quickly. Use your finger to check for moisture. You may need to water container gardens two or three times a week if the weather is hot and dry.
HERE ARE SOME OTHER TIMELY GARDENING TASKS FOR JULY
- Cut back on the use of fertilizer on plants this month, especially during hot, dry spells.
- Once Bearded Iris and Day Lilies are finished blooming and the leaves start to turn yellow and die, this is a good time to cut them back, dig them up, divide, and transplant.
- Check your evergreens with needles, such as spruce and juniper, for red spider mite damage. You can see the damage being done because of the browning of the needles, but you can’t see the actual mite. Test for mite presence by shaking some of the foliage over a white sheet of paper. Inspect the debris on the paper closely for small, red moving specks. If you detect a mite problem, then you want to spray with an insecticide that lists miticide as an ingredient.
- Mosquito dunks will help destroy mosquito larvae in birdbaths and ponds. On a side note, controlling mosquitoes involves eliminating any unnecessary standing water throughout your landscape.
- Stay on top of controlling weeds in your lawn and landscape. I like pulling weeds. I try not to use any herbicides. Plus, I find weed pulling therapeutic. Bending over and moving around is good exercise.
Enjoy July and what it offers for gardening. Yes, it will be hot and humid so be smart with your time out in the sun. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
PLANT A LITTLE HAPPINESS THIS JULY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!