Tips for August

Tips for August

TREE & SHRUBS

Prune summer blooming shrubs. Now is also the time of the year to prune trees that "bleed" badly such as Birches and Maples. Check for insects and disease too.

ROSES

Replace mulch were necessary. Feed for the last time about six weeks before the first expected frost date. The expected first frost date this year is approximately. 11/10/2006. Continue controlling insects and diseases with ROSEPRIDE SYSTEMIC ORTHENEX. Cut back faded blooms to a healthy outside bud with five leaflets. One thing that you cannot give a rose too much of is water. Water a rose from the bottom of the plant (by the roots) to prevent black spot. Normally a rose should receive 1 to 2 inches of water per week. During hot and dry weather it may be necessary to water every 3 to 4 days. Water should be applied at a depth of 12 to 18 inches to encourage deep root growth.

FLOWERS:

Water more because the hotter it gets the more water they need, the flowers lose water though their Leaves(transpiration).Watering is best done with a soaker hose. Watering this way will keep the foliage as dry as possible, to keep diseases down. If you water with a sprinkler and get foliage wet Should be done in the morning so leaves dry out by night fall. Pinch dead blooms on petunias ,geraniums etc.

Fertilizing

Use MASTER NURSEY BUD& BLOOM at 1 tablespoon per gallon, MIRACLE-GRO PLANT FOOD at the rate of one tablespoon per gallon for most plants. New guinea impatiens need less plant food then others.

LAWNS

As a rule of thumb the lawn needs about ½"of water every third day, Maybe ¼"more in the direct sun.

Watering:

Using a hose, and nozzle is not a good idea because it gets the foliage wet not the soil.

Mowing:

It is a good practice to mow the lawn a ½ inch higher, to keep the roots cool.

Disease Control:

To control Brown Spot or Red Thread use BAYLETON or ORTHO Multi-purpose Disease control (DACONIL 278).

Insect Control:

Now is the time to apply SCOTTS STEP 3 or SUPER TURF BUILDER + INSECT CONTROL, to control chinch annoys and sod webworms

.VEGETABLES

Enjoy harvesting your home grown vegetables and herbs.

Watering:

One inch of gentle rain water per week is a gardener's dream. Do not let high temperatures and humid weather dry the soil out. Dry soil one second and wet soil the next will bring on diseases such as blossom drop, cracking of tomatoes and blossom end rot of tomatoes

Last Updated: May 21, 2006