To Do List for July

Fertilizing

Continue sidedressing your garden vegetables.
July is the month we recommend giving landscape plants a second (last) feeding of fertilizer.
Take soil samples form your lawn areas for testing. Soil boxes are available at the County Extension Center.

Planting

Plants of brussel sprouts and collards can be set out in mid-July.
You can begin your fall vegetable garden this month. Plant beans, carrots, brussels sprouts, and tomatoes in July.
Start broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower plants in peat pots to transplant into the vegetable garden in mid-August.
Begin repotting overgrown houseplants.

Pruning

Prune “bleeder” trees like maple, dogwood, birch and elm this month.
Prune the fruiting canes of raspberry and blackberry plants after harvest is over. Cut canes at ground level.
Prune off dieback limbs on hybrid rhododendron, azalea, mountain laurel, and blueberry.
Trim hedges as needed.
Continue pruning white pines and narrowleaf evergreens like juniper early in the month.
Remove faded flowers on flowering perennials to encourage a second flowering.
Pinch your chrysanthemums the first week only!
Do NOT prune spring flowering shrubs now.
Prune raspberry and blackberry canes at ground level when harvesting is done.

Spraying

Spray the following landscape shrubs for the following insect pests: arborvitae (bagworms), azalea and pyracantha (lace bug).
Spray for Japanese beetles as needed.
Continue with rose spray program.
Spray your tree fruits and bunch grapes on a regular basis.
Spray the following vegetables if insects are observed: cucumber (cucumber beetle), squash (aphids), tomato and eggplant (flea beetle).
Spray woody weeds like poison ivy, honeysuckle and kudzu with a recommended herbicide.
NOTE, spray only as needed, and follow all instructions on pesticide labels.

Lawn Care

Remember to change direction when moving your lawn. Travel north to south on one mowing and east to west on the next cutting.
Continue feeding your zoysia lawn with fertilizer. Do NOT give tall fescue or bluegrass lawns any fertilizer this month.
Maintain 3″ mowing height on fescue.

Propagation

This month is still a great time to take semi-hardwood cuttings of azaleas, holly, rhododendron and many other shrubs.
July is an ideal time to divide and transplant your iris and daylilies.

Specific Chores

July is a good month to see if and where your home can use some additional shade trees.
Blossom-end rot may be seen on tomatoes this month. Two factors – too little water and too little lime /calcium the soil – may be the reason.
In dry weather, both your vegetable garden and landscape plants will benefit from a good soaking watering. Slow watering will penetrate the root zone better. Apply 1″ of water early in the day.