July Lawn & Garden To-Do List - Quality Choice Insurance

Rainfall is scarce in July, and soaring temperatures can cause your garden and lawn to slow down and conserve energy. Vegetable gardens kick into high gear and will need some extra attention to stay happy. Other plants in your garden can benefit from special treatment as well. Here are some tips for your lawn and garden during the month of July.

Hydrangeas show off their blooms in midsummer.

Trees and Shrubs

Prune dead, damaged, or diseased branches to prevent them from falling during summer storms.
Remove suckers by yanking downward to remove the growth bud.
Prune spring-flowering shrubs early in the month, then leave them alone to set buds for next year. Summer and fall flowering shrubs should not be pruned unless badly overgrown while nonblooming hedges can be trimmed as needed.
Deadhead roses and other flowering shrubs so they will continue blooming.
Plants suffering from iron deficiency will benefit from an application of chelated iron.
Stop fertilizing trees and shrubs to allow them to reduce growth during the heat of summer.
Continue planting and transplanting container-grown trees and shrubs, but give them extra water and shade protection, if possible.
Apply extra mulch around the roots of trees and shrubs to hold in moisture.
Avoid digging or cultivating around shallow-rooted plants or otherwise disturbing the roots.
Take softwood cuttings of shrubs such as hydrangea, buddleia, rose, and Rose of Sharon.
Water trees infrequently, but deeply.