Best time to garden now is early morning with sun block, wide brimmed hat, long sleeved cotton shirt and pants for most comfort. And drink lots of cold water before you need it.

Mulch all bare areas because it keeps moisture in, weeds down and moderates soil temperatures. We recommend a depth of 3 to 4 inches of shredded hardwood mulch or cypress mulch. Keep mulch away from plant trunks to prevent disease from constant moisture.

P R U N E
Prune dead and diseased plants. Deadhead (remove faded flowers) annuals and perennials to promote flowering which also keeps plants compact by inducing branching. Early this month you can finish spring flowering shrubs. Don’t prune Camellias as their buds have already set. Prune hedges so the top is a little wider than the bottom to allow for sun and compaction.

W E E D
Hand weed all beds and lawns. It’s better to pull them out manually, roots and all, rather than relying on herbicides which weaken the turf making it susceptible to diseases. The fewer chemicals you use, the healthier you and your surroundings will be. Keeping your lawn fed, watered and mowed can also help limit weeds.

M O W
Mow dry grass as wet will tear and clog your mower. Wear sturdy shoes and eye protection.
Mow once a week except for Buffalo which can be mowed as needed. Cutting more than one-third height of lawn at any one time can lead to heat stress in sunny areas while shady areas need only one-fourth cut off. St. Augustine, Zoysia and Buffalos grass do best at 2 inches, common Bermuda at 1 1/2/ inch and hybrid Bermuda at 1 inch tall. Check lawn mower blade as stringy, ragged grass ends may indicate a dull blade that makes for an unattractive appearance especially Zoysia grass. We recommend using a mulching lawnmower which lets clippings fall back into the grass nourishing the soil so you don’t need to fertilize as much. Check spark plugs too. If you don’t have the time or energy to keep up large expanses of turf, you might consider installing perennials beds, ground cover or walkways on parts of your lawn.
 

G R O U N D C O V E R S
Keep vinca and liriope and Asian jasmine regularly watered. Asian jasmine may need to be trimmed. Depending on location, we use weed eaters and/or lawn mowers.
 

T U R F  P E S T S
The Travis County Extension Office http://insets.tamu.edu/extension/fulletins/L1766.html has free information on pests and remedies such as grubs (c-shaped caterpillar looking bugs) and chinch bugs (black and white tiny bugs) which cause dry circular brown patches in sunny areas next to a drive, curb or other masonry features. Remember only to treat infected areas because wide spread application is a waste of time and money.

F E R T I L I Z E
Common and hybrid Bermuda need to be fertilized this month and then again for the last time this year in October. Also warm season grasses such as St. Augustine could be fertilized if you didn’t do it earlier. However, it may be best to wait until October along with Zoysia and Buffalograss. Fertilizing produces top growth at the
expense of roots which may be attacked by insects and diseases. Be sure to follow directions as too much fertilizer can burn the turf and water afterward feeding. Avoid fertilizing cool season grasses like Fescue this month – wait until October.

I R R I G A T I O N
Inspect your system for leaks and heights so you’re getting the proper coverage. You might want to install an adjustable water sensor so if it rains, your system will not turn on needlessly. There are wireless sensors available now.

F L O W E R S
Pinch back old growth on newly planted annual and perennials plants to encourage side shoots. This will encourage branching with more flowers. Plants are always more dramatic grouped by variety rather than mixing them.
Your new flowering plants can be fertilized with a slow release product that will produce blooms even longer. Make sure to water well after feeding. Fertilize blooming plants every 3 weeks during the prime season with soluble fertilizer.
Container plants and hanging baskets need to be fertilized and watered frequently. If they’re heat sensitive, move them to a cooler, shaded location and remove their faded flowers.
Cut flowers decorate any space and you can make your own floral preservative using ½ tablespoon of sugar, ½ teaspoon of vinegar and ½ crushed aspirin in 12 ounces of water.
In mid- July, stop pinching your Chrysanthemums to make them bushier and more flower filled. It’s also a good idea to fertilize them with a complete fertilizer for their fall display.
Trim wisteria, spirea and other spring flowering shrubs and vines in July. Cutting now will encourage buds for next spring.
Prune roses that only bloom in the spring. Remove dead or weak wood. Deadhead roses and other plants that don’t naturally cast their blooms to keep them attractive and reblooming. Water twice a week and use a soaker hose or a drip irrigation system to avoid wetting the foliage because the water could cause black spot, a fungal disease. Fertilize roses twice a month in July and August with a complete fertilizer that is high in nitrogen. Sprays of water from a garden hose or insecticidal soap will discourage spider mites on roses.
Shear back most Salvias after a bloom cycle to encourage branching and flowers.
Avoid fertilizing day lilies this summer. The best time to feed them is the spring and fall.
The first part of July is the time to plant gladiolas successfully for the year. Set in sunny, well drained spot planted deep so the stalks stay upright.
Plant seeds for fall flowers at the end of month such as Zinnias, Portulaca and Petunias.

See Summer Flower Ideas

T R E E S   A N D   S H R U B S
Trees planted within the last 12 to 18 months need special attention and should be hand watered every 5 to 7 days unless it rains.
This is not a good time to plant trees because of the heat but if you must be sure to water young trees once a week and protect them from lawn mowers and edgers.
Don’t prune or trim off the lower branches of newly planted trees. Light frequent fertilizing can help young trees but don’t fertilize first growing season trees. It’s better to let young trees become established before you remove any limbs. Keep ligustrum hedges in shape by clipping back lightly which encourages branching making the plant fuller. Cut back your wisteria now to 2 or 3 buds so it forms more buds between now and next spring’s show. Let Texas Mountain Laurels dry out between watering to get the best growth and flowering and avoids root rot.
 

I N S E C T S / D I S E A S E
Powdery mildew can be found on roses and crape myrtles due to high humidity or not enough sun exposure. Look for less toxic products to control this such as neem oil, sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate. Black, soot like fungus on the leaves of your azaleas, gardenias, or hollies is probably a sign of sooty mold which is secreted by certain aphids and whiteflies. Try using insecticidal soaps to control these insects.
Watch for red spider mites on marigolds, junipers, verbena, roses and other narrow leafed evergreens now and in August. These misnamed insects (not really spiders) can be seen on leaf undersides and by the fine ‘webs’ on new growth. A garden hose water blast or insecticidal soap will usually eliminate them.
Products to control pests are numerous so choose the lowest toxicity and the right blend for your particular pest problem.