By following this checklist, you can ensure that your garden is healthy, thriving, and producing an abundance of beautiful and tasty plants throughout the growing season.
Flower Beds, Trees and Shrubs
- Lightly fertilize your flower beds to encourage their growth.
- Bulbs that can be planted in the middle of the summer include gladiolus and butterfly lily.
- As long as they stay moist, you can plant annuals such as coleus, ornamental pepper, and crossandra.
- Remove any dead flowers on your plants to encourage new growth.
- Prune your shrubs and trees if it is necessary. Do not heavily prune your spring-flowering shrubs.
- Remove any dead or diseased plants from your garden immediately. You can replace them with new plants.
- Do not neglect your container plants; they need more water than those plants in the ground.
Kitchen Garden
- Be sure to harvest your fruit and vegetables continuously before any animals can get to them.
- Plant a pumpkin for Halloween!
- Start planning for your fall garden. Consider which crops you’d like to grow and when to start seeds indoors for a timely planting.
Lawn
- Continue to mow your lawn regularly, keeping the grass at the recommended height for your grass type. In Zone 7b, this is usually around 2.5 to 3.5 inches for warm-season grasses like Bermuda, Zoysia, and St. Augustine.
- Water your lawn early in the morning to minimize water evaporation and allow the grass blades to dry before evening, reducing the risk of disease.
- If weeds are present, consider spot-treating them with a suitable herbicide. Make sure to follow the instructions carefully and avoid application during hot weather.
- If you have warm-season grasses like Bermuda or Zoysia, this is a good time for a summer feeding. Use a slow-release fertilizer to provide nutrients gradually over the season.
- Take time to relax and enjoy your well-maintained lawn. It’s a great place to spend summer evenings!
Weeds
- Continue to stay on top of weeds and not letting them go to seed.
- Utilize companion planting strategies to help suppress weed growth. For example, planting ground covers or densely spaced crops can help smother weeds.
Other tips
- Start planning your fall garden.
- Keep a garden journal to note planting dates, varieties, successes, and challenges for future reference.