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JULY GARDEN "TO DO" LIST

 

GENERAL GARDEN CARE

  • IMPORTANT:  It’s hot and dry.  Make sure your garden lawn, plants, trees and shrubs receive @ least 1 inch of  WATER per week.

  • Best way to retain extra moisture is mulch 2-4 inches in the garden beds.

 

WEED, WEED, WEED

  • Weeding is a perpetual task, however, the more you weed, the fewer weeds will grow.  Eventually weeding becomes a minor maintenance task.

 

ANNUAL AND PERENNIALS

  • 20-20-20 Fertilizer for ROSES for the third and FINAL time @ the end of the month.  DO NOT fertilize after August 1st.  Deadhead back to the first set of five leaflets and monitor for Blackspot. 

  • Promote second blooms by cutting back flower spikes from early blooming perennials such as catmint, geraniums, salvia.

  • Prune back annuals that are ‘leggy’ and fertilize with ½ strength fertilizer.

  • Continue watering and fertilizing those containers and hanging baskets.

  • Daylilies will need to have their spend flowers and seed heads removed.

  • Sedums, asters and chrysanthemum will need the last pinch to allow bud set for fall bloom.  Can be done until the middle of the month.

  • Stake those TALL plants with soft nylon ties, including the tomatoes.

  • Guide those Clematis vines to their supports.

  • Time to dig and divide Oriental Poppies as foliage dries.  Plant in sunny, well drained area. 

 

LAWN CARE

  • Mow high, 2 ½ -3 inches, leave grass clippings on lawn but not clumped. 

 

FRUIT, VEGETABLE, AND HERB CARE

  • Harvest, dry and freeze your herbs in small batches.  Pinch off the developing flowers to retain the oils and flavor in the foliage.

  • Tomatoes need an even supply of moisture rather an occasional soaking.

  • Consider a side dress of nitrogen fertilizer on your hot weather veggies:  peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and cucumbers.

  • Get ready to sow fall crops the end of the month:  beans, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, cabbage.

  • Support the swallowtail butterfly population:  monitor your fennel, dill, carrots for caterpillars.  In fact plant a special crop for them next year.  They LOVE to eat!!

 

INDOOR GARDEN

  • Hot summer sun through your windows can affect leaves.  Move to safety.

  • Lift plants and check leaves for insects.

  • Repot plants needing larger places to grow. 

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HINTS

  • Watch for perennial sales at the garden centers.  By planting now, you can increase your collection and get those roots established for winter.

  • Check out:  University of Illinois Extension website for Common Problems for Vegetable Crops. http://extension.illinois.edu/vegproblems/

 

References:

https://www.chicagobotanic.org/plantinfo/checklist/july

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http://chicagolandgardening.com/index.php/web/read/july-what-to-do-in-the-garden

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