Limbs are down, weeds are rampant
and vegetables are about gone. Can we can blame all of this on Debby and
the moisture coming up from the Gulf? Well, it is summer and much of this
could occur with any storm but with at least four days of rains the chores
are piling up.
Heavy branches loaded with flowers and seed pods were going to weigh the
limbs of the crape myrtle down no matter what storm came through. There
are also limbs on the anise, Simpson stopper and gardenia shrubs that have
dropped down too. The firespike is covering the pathways and blackberry
lilies are flopping over. Plus, there have been deluges of Spanish moss,
ball moss, little limbs and even mistletoe falling from the trees. What
are gardeners to do' Well, here is my list.
Tom's Gotta-do's
for July, 2012
Lawn Care:
Repair bare spots and declining grass
left from the spring drought or pests.
Chinch bugs and sod webworms are now
affecting lawns; treat as needed.
New lawns can be established from
seed, sod or plugs
Lawn feeding restrictions are in
effect in some areas; check before applying fertilizer.
Where permitted help lawns continue
new growth with a slow release fertilizer application.
Grass is often
hard to establish under trees due to shade and roots; select another
ground cover.
Vegetable and Fruit Care:
Many spring vegetable plantings are
declining; remove the plants when the harvest is over
Tomato, eggplant and pepper planting
time is over until next month.
Replant with vegetables that won't
mind the summer heat and rains.
Sweet potatoes are a high yielding
and an easy to grow crop for summer.
Start vegetable seedlings for August
transplants in small pots or cell packs in mid July.
Feed summer vegetable plantings
monthly.
Cover vacant garden soil with clear
plastic for eight weeks to bake out pests.
Feed bananas and papaya trees
monthly.
In the Landscape:
Replace shrubs and perennials that
have not started new growth.
Plant heat and rain tolerant flowers.
Use easy to maintain container
gardens as accents for entrances, porches and patios.
Get help from the rainy season to
transplant palms and sagos.
Keep the root balls of new plantings
moist with hand watering to prevent decline.
Remove 4- to 6-inches of new growth
from poinsettias to encourage compact growth
Create the tropical look with foliage
plants.
Divide and replant perennials
including shasta daises, gerbera, bromeliads and many bulbs.
Finish pruning azaleas and gardenias
during early July or wait until next year.
Root 4- to 6-inch tip cuttings from
shrubs and perennials.
Feed new trees and shrubs
Give roses a summer grooming and
control black spot.
Feed outdoor container plantings
including orchids every two weeks.
House Plants Chores:
Groom and divide indoor plants to
keep them attractive.
Transplant root bound foliage plants
into larger containers.
Make sure new containers and
established plants have adequate drainage
Adding pebbles or pieces of pots to
the bottom of containers is still a good idea.
Move light starved plants outdoors to
a shady location.
Vegetables: Boniato, calabaza, cherry tomato, okra, Southern pea,
Seminole pumpkin, sweet cassava, sweet potato and yard long bean;
start transplants of eggplant, peppers and tomatoes from seed in
mid July.
Herbs: Anise, basil, bay laurel, chive, dill, ginger, lemon balm,
Mexican tarragon, mint, oregano, sage, sweet marjoram and thyme.
Bulb-type plants: Achimenes, African iris, bulbine, caladium,
canna, crinum, crocosmia, day lily, eucharis lily, gladiolus,
gloriosa lily, peacock ginger, society garlic, spiderwort, rain
lily and walking iris.
