JULY

1. If rain is lacking, practice water-wise horticultural techniques. 2. Determine which plants are most important and water them first. 3. Water plants early in the day through drip irrigation or hand held hose with shut-off nozzle. 4. Re-apply mulch to plantings to help conserve moisture. 5. Allow lawns to go dormant; they will green up again when rain returns. 6. Continue to remove weeds which compete for water. 7. Continue to stake floppy plants and vines. 8. Mow lawns regularly to keep grass height at 2-2½ in. 9. Continue to aerate and moisten compost pile to speed decomposition. 10. Continue to apply acid mulch to azaleas, rhododendrons, and other ericaceous ornamentals. 11. Apply a summer mulch to rose beds to preserve moisture and control weeds. 12. Deadhead annuals and perennials to encourage continuous bloom and cut back any rampant growth. 13. Continue to spray roses weekly with a baking soda fungicide. 14. Remove any fallen leaves and debris which can harbor insect pests and disease organisms. 15. Pinch back asters and chrysanthemums one last time. 16. Finish deadheading rhododendrons and lilacs. 17. Continue to apply deer repellent. 18. Continue to repot any houseplants as needed. 19. Continue to lift, divide, and propagate spring-flowering perennials. 20. Sow seed of lettuce, kale, broccoli, cabbage, radishes and arugula for fall harvest. 21. Sow seed of English daisy, forget-me-not and pansy now. 22. Continue to propagate shrubs from softwood cuttings. 23. Propagate spring-flowering perennials. 24. Propagate herbs from cuttings. 25. Continue transplanting container grown plants. 26. Deadhead hybrid tea, grandiflora, floribunda, miniature, repeat-blooming shrub and climbing roses. 27. Prune climbing roses after flowering. 28. Prune and thin large shade trees to increase light for lawns and planting beds. 29. Prune evergreens, and deciduous and evergreen hedges into early summer. 30. Prune all raspberry canes which have completed fruiting to the ground. 31. Fertilize broad-leaved flowering evergreen shrubs with topdressing of oakleaf compost/and or cottonseed meal. 32. Fertilize needle evergreens with acid type fertilizer. 33. Fertilize roses. 34. Continue to fertilize annuals and container plants each month. 35. Fertilize chrysanthemums every 2-3 weeks until buds form. 36. Fertilize vegetables. © BOTRESEARCH USA 1998-2008 INDEX