Timely Tips for Garden Success - Summer

Summer is the time to enjoy the beauty that a garden can provide. Make sure and provide plants with ample moisture so they don’t suffer from summer heat stress. Applying a layer of mulch will also help plants retain moisture and will help prevent weeds from germinating.

PLANTING
Add color to your garden to make it come alive for summer parties with annuals such as Ageratum, Alyssum, Marigolds, Petunias, Verbena, Vinca and Zinnia for sunny locations. Use Begonia, Impatiens, and Lobelia for areas with more shade. It's not too late to plant roses and fruit trees and we still have a good selection to choose from. The nursery is bursting with colorful perennials and we invite you to come in and visit to see them in their full blooming glory. As always, our staff is available to help you with great perennial planting ideas,

LAWN CARE:
Feed lawns every 2 months with Dr. Earth Supernatural Lawn fertilizer. It helps promote deep green color, encourages root development, adds beneficial microbes to your soil and will improve your lawn's resistance to disease. Control existing weeds with GreenAll Weed N Feed. Prevent and control grubs and other lawn feeding insects with Complete Insect Killer. Raise your mower height to at least 2 inches. The higher lawn height helps insulate the grass roots from heat, reducing the potential for heat stress and requiring less water. Make sure to water between 5:00AM and 12:00PM to help prevent lawn disease.

TREES & SHRUBS:
Keep evergreen trees and shrubs healthy and green by feeding every 2 months with Dr. Earth LIFE fertilizer. Prune shrubs now to keep them from getting leggy in summer. Azaleas, Camellias and Rhododendron should be fed every two months with Dr. Earth Rhododendron, Azalea and Camellia fertilizer. To control aphids on any new growth, spray as needed with Monterey Take Down. Control mites with Bonide Mitex.
                                                                                                                                             
ROSES:
Feed roses every two months March thru October with Dr. Earth Rose and Flower Fertilizer. Control aphids, spider mites and thrips with Bonide Mitex. Prevent and control blackspot, powdery mildew and rust with Serenade Disease Control. Avoid overhead or night watering.

FRUIT TREES:
Give fruit trees their second feeding of Dr. Earth Fruit Tree and Vine fertilizer. Use Bonide All Seasons spray to control aphids, mites and whitefly. Control the size of your tree and create next season's fruiting wood by summer pruning your fruit trees now.

FLOWERS & VEGETABLES:
Prepare soil for summer flowers by working in Gardener and Bloome Harvest Supreme soil conditioner into existing soil. Feed flowers every two weeks with Greenlight Superbloom. For a larger harvest in the garden, feed summer vegetables every two months with Dr. Earth Tomato and Vegetable Fertilizer. (The calcium in this unique plant food helps prevent blossom end rot in tomatoes and peppers. If tomatoes bloom but fail to set fruit, spray blossoms with TOMATO SET. To control caterpillars on petunias, geraniums and tomatoes spray every 7-10 days with Monterey Garden Insect Spray. Protect plants from slugs, snails, earwigs and sowbugs with all-natural Sluggo Plus.

WATER PLANTS:
To control algae growth, remember to keep at least 60% of the water surface covered with striding water plants and replace no more than 25% of the water at any one time. Control mosquito larvae with MOSQUITO DUNKS or the longer lasting MOSQUITO TORPEDO.