July Garden Guide

gillnurseryMonthly Garden Guide11 Comments


Lawn Care

Fertilize

Organic fertilizers such as Milorganite and Medina Growin Green are excellent fertilizers that feed plants and soil and are the best choice during hot, dry periods.

Lay new Sod

Lay new sod anytime, and Bermuda seed anytime this month.

Fix Yellow Spots

Apply organic Nature’s Blend, or conventional Hi Yield Iron Plus to yellow spots in lawn.

Mow

Mow as required. Keep St. Augustine cut to about 3”, Bermuda at 1”– 2”.

Water

Water well every 7 days.

Read: Summer is Here, Time to Resume Watering

Watch out for pests

Watch for Chinch Bugs and Grub Worms.

Read: Check for Chinch Bugs if Your Lawn Looks Dry Even Though You Know It’s Not!

Plant

All container grown trees, shrubs, and vines.

It’s prime time to plant tropicals such as hibiscus, bougainvillea, ginger and palms.

Hibiscus
Bougainvillia
Ginger
Late spring and summer color

Zinnias, periwinkles, purslane, moss rose, gomphrena, lantana, ruellia, penta, caladiums, coleus, and more

Moss Rose
Gomphrena
Lantana
Seeds

Sunflowers, morning glory, zinnias, and gomphrena.

Sunflower
Screen Shot 38 Morning Glory
Zinnias
Pepper and Tomato Seeds

Start seeds of peppers and tomatoes in containers to transplant in the garden in August.


Indoor Plants

Add plants to your indoor spaces to create a fresh air relaxing atmosphere. 

Feed your houseplants to keep them healthy and looking their best. Hasta Gro works wonders. So does Plant Tone. And Worm Castings provide an amazing boost for houseplants too!

Houseplants that are happy & healthy will produce baby plants that are easily removed and transplanted to another container. A great way to increase your collection and share with your friends.

Read: Plants, the Perfect Rx for Clean Air

Read: Indoor Gardening: EZ as a ZZ!

Fertilize

Annuals and perennials

Organic: Medina Growin Green, Hasta Gro or Plant Tone

Conventional: Miracle Gro or Osmocote Time Release Granules

Hibiscus and tropical bloomers

Organic: Maestro Gro-Rose Glo

Conventional: Hibiscus Food

Trees and shrubs

Organic: Milorganite, or Medina Growin Green

All granular fertilizer should be watered in well.

Prune

Dead wood from trees and shrubs

Faded blooms to encourage new blooms – especially important on perennials, tropicals, and crape myrtles

Shrubs to maintain good form

Palms, if needed

Watch Out For

Caterpillars

Watch for caterpillars or their damage (chewed leaves).

Organic: Thuricide, Spinosad

Conventional: Cyonara

Fungus, Powdery Mildew

Organic: Neem Oil, BeeSafe 3-in-1

Conventional: Broad Spectrum Fungicide, Fertilome Systemic

WhiteFlies

Organic:  Spinosad Soap, Bee Safe 3-in-1

Conventional:  Cyonara

CHINCH BUGS IN LAWNS

Organic: Diatomaceous Earth, Spinosad

Conventional: Cyonara

MEALY BUGS

Organic: Neem Oil, Insecticidal Soap, BeeSafe 3-in-1

Conventional: Cyonara, Bonide Systemic

Read: Mealy Bugs are Here

SPIDER MITES

Organic: Neem Oil, Spinosad Soap, BeeSafe 3-in-1

Conventional: Bonide Systemic, Cyonara

FLEAS and TICKS

Organic: Spinosad, Diatomaceous Earth

Conventional: Cyonara

Borers

Watch for Borers in mesquites, ash, and yucca.

Organic: Spinosad

Conventional: Fertilome Tree & Shrub Drench


Water-wise Gardening

Mulch

Mulch all landscape areas with at least 2-4 inches of shredded mulch.

Adjust Mowing

Cut your grass higher so it will not dry out as quickly.

Trimming & Cleanup

Trim overgrown plants with excessive foliage so they use less water.
Remove old or unsightly plants you plan to get rid of anyway.
Repot root bound patio plants.

Adjust Irrigation System

Use your irrigation system or sprinklers once a week. You can water anytime before 10:00am or after 6:00pm. Use the Cycle Soak Method found on our website. Be sure not to let water run off onto the streets and sidewalks.

Fertilize

Top dress lawns with Nature Blend.
Use organic fertilizers to keep plants healthy.

Water

Install drip irrigation around your foundation and plants for slow soaking and less water waste.

You can water anytime with a hand held hose, soaker hose or drip irrigation hose provided it is equipped with a positive shut off nozzle.

11 Comments on “July Garden Guide”

  1. Just had a great visit in your garden center on Airline. Your employee WYatt was most helpful with ALL my questions and very informative with products to use . Thanks again

  2. I loved your blog and thanks for publishing this!! I am really happy to come across this exceptionally well written content regarding July garden tips . Thanks for sharing and look for more in future!!

  3. What can we do for our Valencia orange we bought from you this Spring where some leaves on the ends of the branches are curling?

    1. Hi Ann – this is most likely a watering issue. A young citrus tree will need a good soaking 2-3 times per week. Keep it mulched well (2-3″ deep) to help retain moisture and to keep grass from growing up to it. If the leaves are also discolored, it would be good to bring us a sample so we can investigate further.

    2. Ann, James Gill here, and I want to add, if the orange tree is planted with the top of the rootball any lower than the surrounding ground, and especially if there was any soil placed on top of the rootball, you need to carefully replant higher. Not saying this is for sure your problem, but it is very common to plant too deep. There should be nothing but an inch of mulch on top of the rootball next to the trunk, and 2″-3″ farther away from the trunk. As Jesse said, do not let the grass grow up to the trunk, keep a 3 ft. minimum area clear of grass and just mulched. And with no rain and very hot temperatures, new plants will need water more than one day a week through the first summer.

  4. I know someone who has a rabbit and says the rabbit poop is great for fertilizing and does not need to be composted. What are your thoughts on this for veggie gardens – both in-ground and raised beds. Thanks!

  5. Thank you for sharing. All your garden tips are very helpful especially during these hot summer days. I’m always looking for new ideas. Thanks again

    1. Hi Jeanette – a light pruning up to shape, or cutting off spent bloom pods would be fine. Just make sure you trim up from the bottom, not down from the top.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *