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Parker County
Master Gardener Association
Garden Tips - July
Pruning and Grooming Plants:
Re-blooming salvias, such as Salvia greggii and S. farinacea, should be
pruned back periodically during the summer. To make the job easier, use
hedging shears, and remove only the spent flowers and a few inches of stem
below. Fall-blooming perennials, such as Mexican marigold mint (Tagetes
lucida), chrysanthemums, physostegia, and Salvia leucantha, should be pruned
in the same manner during the summer to keep them compact, reducing the need
for staking. This type of pruning should be completed prior to September 1,
since flower buds begin forming about that time.
Prune out dead or diseased wood from trees and shrubs. Hold off on major
pruning from now until midwinter. Severe pruning at this time will only
stimulate tender new growth prior to frost.
A late-summer pruning of rosebushes can be beneficial. Prune out dead canes
and any weak, brushy growth. Cut back tall, vigorous bushes to about 30
inches. After pruning, apply fertilizer, and water thoroughly. If a
preventive disease-control program has been maintained, your rose bushes
should be ready to provide an excellent crop of flowers this fall.
Picking flowers frequently encourages most annuals and perennials to flower
even more abundantly.
Removing faded flowers from plants before they set seed will keep them
growing and producing more flowers. A light application of fertilizer every
4 to 6 weeks will also be helpful.
Planting:
There is still time to plant some of the colorful, heat-tolerant summer
annuals. You can direct-seed zinnias and portulaca, and purchase plants of
periwinkle, salvia, marigold, gomphrena, celosia, and purslane. Be sure to
water transplants as needed until roots become established.
Now is the time to plan for next spring. Consider digging and dividing any
crowded spring bulbs. Once the bulbs have matured and the foliage has turned
brown, it is time to spade them up and thin out the stand. Crowded bulbs
produce fewer and smaller blooms. They usually need thinning every 3 to 4
years.
Plant bluebonnet and other spring wildflowers. They must germinate in late
summer or early fall, develop good root systems, and be ready to grow in
spring when the weather warms. Plant seed in well-prepared soil, one-half
inch deep, and water thoroughly.
It is not too late to set out another planting of many warm-season annuals,
such as marigolds, zinnias, and periwinkles. They will require extra
attention for the first few weeks, but should provide you with color during
late September, October, and November.
It is time to divide spring-flowering perennials, such as iris, Shasta
daisy, oxeye, gaillardia, cannas, day lilies, violets, liriope, and ajuga.
Sow seeds of snapdragons, dianthus, pansies, calendulas, and other
cool-season flowers in flats, or in well-prepared areas of the garden, for
planting outside during mid-to-late fall.
Mulching:
During the summer, soil moisture becomes extremely important and essential
for good plant production. Because continual watering is oftentimes costly
and time consuming, it pays to conserve the moisture around plants. This is
best done by mulching. A good mulch will retain valuable moisture needed for
plant growth, and improve overall gardening success. Mulches are usually
applied 2 to 6 inches deep, depending on the material used. In general, the
coarser the material, the deeper the mulch.
Insects and Diseases:
Check for insects and diseases. Destroy badly infested plants. Spider mites
can be especially troublesome at this time and if you treat, you may choose
to use a miticide. Select a chemical or organic control, or use insecticidal
soap for other problems.
Caladiums:
Caladiums require plenty of water at this time of year if they are to remain
lush and active until fall. Fertilize with 21-0-0 at the rate of one-third
to one-half pound per 100 square feet of bed area, and water thoroughly.
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