Dues Nursery & Landscaping, Ltd.

TIPS FOR MONTH OF JULY

1. Cut back and fertilize delphinium and phlox to encourage a second flowering.

2. A brown or grayish cast over a lawn can be caused by a dull or improperly adjusted mower blades that shred grass rather than cut it.

3. Control mosquitoes by eliminating all sources of stagnant water.

4. Check the soil moisture of container grown vegetables and flowers daily. As the temperature rises, some plants may need water twice a day.

5. Many plants are easily propagated by layering. Verbenas, euonymus, English ivy and climbing roses are a few plants that will root if the stems are fastened down and covered with soil.

6. Certain pesticides have a waiting period of several days between the time of the last spray and harvest. Read and follow directions on all labels before applying to your vegetable crops. Wash all produce thoroughly before use.

7. Cutting flowers is best done with sharp shears or a knife which will help avoid injury to the growing plant. A slanting cut will expose a larger absorbing surface to water and will prevent the base of the stem from resting on the bottom of the vase. It is best to carry a bucket of water to the garden for collecting flowers, rather than a cutting basket.

8. For fall harvest of lettuce, radish, carrots, beets, turnips, kale and spinach, sow weeds in late July to early August.

9. Continue to make successive plantings of crops like beans and sweet corn to provide a continuous harvest until fall. A small garden will produce a large quantity of vegetables if replanting is done throughout the summer.

10. Continue attracting insect eating birds to the garden area by providing them with a fresh water source.