July Lawn and Garden Tips

We are officially more than halfway through the year!  Although the July heat may tempt you to stay inside, there is actually a lot that needs to be done in your lawn and garden in July.  Don’t let that hard work you did in the spring go to waste! If you have questions about anything we include here or need products we recommend, please visit our garden center and one of our staff should be able to get you the information or product you need.  

Fruits and Veggies

• Side dress (fertilize) your garden vegetables.  Garden Tone is a great choice. 

• Plant your fall vegetable garden now! (Check out this site for when to plant what in NC)
  • Beans, carrots, brussel sprouts, and tomatoes
• Start broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower in peat pots to transfer in mid-August.
• Prune fruiting canes of raspberry and blackberry plants.  Prune dieback on blueberry.
• Spray cucumber, squash, tomato and eggplant if insects are observed.  (We recommend and carry Captain Jack’s Dead Bug or Insect Killing Soap.)

• Look for blossom-end rot on tomatoes (more info in the Growing Tomatoes blog post).

Shrubs and Lawns

• Change direction every time you mow.
  • Mow north to south one mowing, then east to west the next.  
• Check lawn perimeters near woods for weeds like poison ivy, honeysuckle and kudzu and spray with herbicide.  
• Feed zoysia lawn with fertilizer.  DO NOT feed tall fescue.
• Maintain 3.5-4 inch mowing height for fescue and 1.75-2 inches for zoysia and bermuda.
• Check these shrubs for insect pests and treat with insecticide: arborvitae, azalea and pyracantha.
• Spray for Japanese beetles as needed (Triple Action Fertilome is a great product for getting rid of Japanese beetles).

• Prune dieback limbs on rhododendron, azalea, and mountain laurel.

Flowers and Trees

• Prune white pines and narrowleaf evergreens like juniper early this month (like today!).
• Prune maple, dogwood, birch and elm trees.  
• Deadhead annuals and perennials that need it (see this blog post on deadheading).
• In addition to deadheading, annuals that have gotten leggy or overgrown should be trimmed back.  Look for stems that aren’t looking so good and snip them off.  Don’t cut back more than one-third of the plant.  And don’t fear!  In a week or so, you will see a difference in your annuals that will delight you!
• Divide and transplant your irises and daylilies.  Transplanting irises can be a little tricky. Check out this site for some advice.

This and That

• Now is a great time of year to look for spots that need additional shade trees.
• Check houseplants that may need to be repotted.  Or add new ones to your collection! We have gorgeous houseplants in stock.
• Cut summer flowers for arrangements: cosmos, dahlias, phlox, sunflowers, and zinnias.