
JULY GARDEN "TO DO" LIST
GENERAL GARDEN CARE
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IMPORTANT: It’s hot and dry. Make sure your garden lawn, plants, trees and shrubs receive @ least 1 inch of WATER per week.
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Best way to retain extra moisture is mulch 2-4 inches in the garden beds.
WEED, WEED, WEED
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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
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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.
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Promote second blooms by cutting back flower spikes from early blooming perennials such as catmint, geraniums, salvia.
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Prune back annuals that are ‘leggy’ and fertilize with ½ strength fertilizer.
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Continue watering and fertilizing those containers and hanging baskets.
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Daylilies will need to have their spend flowers and seed heads removed.
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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.
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Stake those TALL plants with soft nylon ties, including the tomatoes.
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Guide those Clematis vines to their supports.
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Time to dig and divide Oriental Poppies as foliage dries. Plant in sunny, well drained area.
LAWN CARE
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Mow high, 2 ½ -3 inches, leave grass clippings on lawn but not clumped.
FRUIT, VEGETABLE, AND HERB CARE
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Harvest, dry and freeze your herbs in small batches. Pinch off the developing flowers to retain the oils and flavor in the foliage.
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Tomatoes need an even supply of moisture rather an occasional soaking.
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Consider a side dress of nitrogen fertilizer on your hot weather veggies: peppers, tomatoes, eggplants and cucumbers.
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Get ready to sow fall crops the end of the month: beans, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, cabbage.
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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
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Hot summer sun through your windows can affect leaves. Move to safety.
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Lift plants and check leaves for insects.
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Repot plants needing larger places to grow.
HINTS
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Watch for perennial sales at the garden centers. By planting now, you can increase your collection and get those roots established for winter.
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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
http://chicagolandgardening.com/index.php/web/read/july-what-to-do-in-the-garden