Garden to-do guide for July
Via: The Arizona Republic
TURF
Plant Bermuda grass through August. Fertilize Bermuda-grass lawns with 1/2 pound of actual nitrogen and 6 ounces of iron per 1,000 square feet. Follow directions on the container. Apply 1 inch of water per week to Bermuda lawns.FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
Seven seeds to plant: Armenian cucumbers; pinto, tepary and snap beans; muskmelons, including cantaloupes; and pumpkins and winter squash. Plant transplants of peppers and tomatoes. Place shade cloth over tomatoes to keep leafhopper insects away and to prevent curly-top virus. The virus affects more than 150 plants in the Southwest and can stunt and kill vegetable plants. For more information on gardening in Maricopa County, go to cals.arizona.edu/maricopa.HERBS
Five herbs to transplant: basil, rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano. Use a garden hose to rinse aphids and other insects off herbs. Wash your picked herbs well before cooking with them.ROSES
Cut back on fertilizing established roses to slow down plants for the summer. Water deeply as temperatures climb. Hose off plants in the early morning to increase humidity and control spider mites.ANNUALS
Seven seeds to sow: Arizona poppy, cosmos, coyote gourd, globe amaranth, lisianthus, marigold and sunflower. Four transplants to plant: cosmos, lisianthus, Madagascar periwinkle and portulaca.Collect hollyhock seeds to share with friends.
LANDSCAPE PLANTS
Plant native and imported heat-tolerant plants through the summer months. Water on a regular basis until fall.Water enough - at least 2 inches of surface water - to penetrate top 2 feet of soil. Deep, infrequent watering is better than a daily sprinkle.
Apply mulch around the base of plants to conserve moisture and prevent weeds.
Trees will need more water, excepting desert trees.
Apply chelated iron to bottlebrush, pyracantha, silk oak and other plants that suffer from iron deficiency.
Transplant palms.
Cut off spent blooms to stimulate rebloom.
FRUIT AND NUT TREES
Pick fruit from deciduous varieties prone to bird damage. Cover fruit trees with a net to protect from birds.Apply nitrogen and zinc to pecan trees to produce normal-size leaf growth and to enhance kernel development.
Protect newly planted trees from heavy winds and dust storms by staking carefully.
Source: University of Arizona’s Maricopa County Extension
