Hot July is finally here. With it
comes lots of rains and plant growth. Some of our time has to be spent
trimming the plants back off sidewalks and drive ways. Also don’t forget
each plant needs some room to grow. So, this may mean you have to prune
plants so they don’t interfere with each other.
Here is another thought – try not to use the hedge shears. Many plants
don’t take kindly to regular shearing. Did you ever wonder why the brown
sections show up in yaupon holly hedges? It is because we keep them too
dense which prevents good air circulation. If we could prune them so they
grow naturally they could avoid the fungus that causes the dead sections.
Many plants do not do well being constantly cut back to the same height
and width all the time. This is evident when after years of the same
pruning they begin to die-back.
Now is the time to start seedlings for mid August plantings. This includes
the tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Hopefully you have saved seeds for
this sowing –if not you may have to order them in from seed catalogs. Many
garden centers have the seeds removed for the summer.
Lawn care for some has just gotten more difficult. You may have noticed
that you cannot feed the turf in some counties and cities between June and
September. Regretfully this is the time the lawn should be making good
growth. So check with your local University of Florida Extension office to
learn the rules in your area. Some will allow feedings if you pass a lawn
care test.
Now it is your turn to keep the landscape fit for summer. I can help a
little by providing some of the things I think you just Gotta Do that
follow.
Tom's Gotta-do's
for July, 2010
Lawn Care Needed:
Lawn feeding restrictions are in
effect in some areas; check before applying fertilizer.
Where permitted help lawns continue
new growth with a slow release fertilizer application.
Regreen yellow lawns with an iron
feeding..
Continue to repair bare spots and
declining grass left from winter damage or pests.
Control crabgrass and broadleaf weeds
invading turf.
Till problem
soils deeply before adding new grass.
Incorporate organic matter into water
resistant sands before planting a new lawn.
Rains often supply adequate moisture
during the summer months; watering may not be needed.
Wait until the lawn shows signs of
wilting before watering to help it develop deeper roots.
Avoid sodding shady spots during the
rainy season to prevent decline due to rot problems.
Remove thatch and aerate lawns if
needed.
Vegetable and Fruit Care:
Tomato, eggplant and pepper plantings
are declining; remove the plants when the harvest is over
Wait to plant tomatoes, eggplants and
peppers until next month.
Replant with vegetables that won’t
mind the summer heat and rains.
Sweet potatoes are a high yielding
and easy to grow crop for summer.
Locate or order seeds now for mid
summer plantings; store in the refrigerator.
Start vegetable seedlings for August
transplants in small pots or cell packs in mid July.
Feed summer vegetable plantings
monthly.
Cover vacant garden soil with clear
plastic for eight weeks to bake out pests.
Spray citrus trees with a low
toxicity oil product to control greasy spot, mites and scale.
Keep figs moist and mulched to avoid
summer fruit drop.
Feed bananas and papaya trees
monthly.
Turn the compost pile every other
week.
Prune blueberries when the harvest is
over; also check and adjust the soil acidity.
Give fruit trees light trimmings as
needed to direct growth.
In the Landscape:
Most plants should have recovered
from winter cold damage; replace as needed.
Delay transplanting in ground trees
and shrubs until late fall or winter.
Now is the time to transplant palms
and sagos during the rainy season.
Remove 4- to 6-inches of new growth
from poinsettias to encourage compact plants.
Summer rains usually provide adequate
water for established trees and shrubs.
Divide the landscape into water use
zones and water according to plant needs.
Rains encourage out of bounds growth;
prune plantings and edge walkways as needed.
Mushrooms are normal growths after
rains; remove them if children or pets are present as many are
poisonous
It’s not to late to trim trees but
hurry to prevent wind damage during summer storms.
Add new trees, shrubs and ground
covers from containers.
Construct a 4- to 6-inch berm of soil
at the edge of root balls to aid in watering new plants.
Water new plantings by hand to
maintain a moist root ball.
Create the tropical look with foliage
plants.
Remove declining flowers and replant
with summer selections.
Divide and replant perennials
including Shasta daises, gerbera, bromeliads and many bulbs.
Finish pruning azaleas and gardenias
during early July or wait until next year.
Root 4- to 6-inch tip cuttings from
shrubs and perennials.
Give roses a summer grooming and
control black spot.
Feed water gardens monthly.
Clean and refill birdbaths weekly.
House & foliage plant care:
Transplant root bound foliage plants
into larger containers.
Make sure new containers and
established plants have adequate drainage
Adding pebbles or pieces of pots to
the bottom of containers is still a good idea.
Trim overgrown house plants; use
trimmings for cuttings.
Move light starved plants outdoors to
a shady location.
Ask a friend to care for your plants
during vacation or move them outside to a shady spot.
Fill empty indoor spaces with new
plants.
Feed house plants monthly or use a
slow release fertilizer as instructed.
Check for pests and remove with soapy
water as needed.
July 2010
Plantings
Vegetables: Boniato, calabaza, cherry tomato, okra, Southern pea,
Seminole pumpkin, sweet cassava, sweet potato and yard long bean;
start transplants of eggplant, peppers and tomatoes from seed in
mid July.
Herbs: Anise, basil, bay laurel, chive, dill, ginger, Mexican
tarragon, mint, oregano, sage, sweet marjoram and thyme.
