With the heat of summer hitting the country hard in mid-July, it is time to think of summer maintenance for the landscape.
Check Drip Systems and Watering
If the landscape is starting to “look tired”, chances are the watering system needs to be examined a little more closely. Over-watering is not the answer as it is wasteful and not good for your garden or the environment. Be sure to set timers to water plants less often, but deeply with a slow drip. Water in early morning or later evening hours in order to prevent evaporation.
Healthy Grass
The best way to keep your grass healthy is to mow correctly – do not cut the grass too short. A good mowing height for the summer season is between 3 and 3.5 inches high. Over-watering and over-fertilization can create excessive thatch in the garden. While it is not too late to fertilize, make it organic whenever possible and work to prevent over-fertilization. Remove weeds from the grass and consider aerating the lawn in order to pull out thatch and improve oxygen flow.
Trim Back Deadwood and Check for Pests
While you can prune shrubs in most any season, it is often best to do so in early winter/spring or fall depending upon the individual shrub or tree's needs. However, it might be necessary to clip back some shrubs that are overgrown or that have suffered from heat damage. Simply trim the deadwood off and reshape a bit to freshen the look. This is also the perfect time to check for any pests in your landscape and treat accordingly with an organic solution.
Plant New Annuals
Whether it be in ground or in containers, some annuals fizzle out mid-summer and the gardens will need a bit of a boost. Cutback or replant and fertilize flowering annual plants to give the garden a rejuvenation and a gorgeous power punch through the end of summer. Great late summer annuals include celosia, cosmos, moss rose, periwinkle, petunias, and zinnias.
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