July


1. Begin planning plants for perennial border for the fall season, and begin ordering plants.
2. Continue twice weekly watering and monthly application of Peters 20-20-20
3. Monitor pests and diseases such as whitefly, redspider, mildew, and leaf mold.
4. Continue to deadhead all plants with seedheads, and those with spent flowerheads.
5. Continue weekly weeding control, pulling by hand around desired plant material, and through spraying or granular applications of herbicides around perimeter.
6. Remove deadwood from trees and shrubs
7. Remove infected leaves from roses. Pick up fallen leaves. Continue fungicidal sprays as needed.
8. Spray hollies for leaf miner control.
9. Apply final treatment for borers on hardwood trees.
10. Don't pinch mums after mid-July or you may delay flowering.

August

1. Plant vegetables such as cherry tomato, pepper and okra.
2. Annuals tolerant of heat which include amaranthus, torenia, vinca, zinnia, coleus, cosmos and marigold can be planted at this time.
3. Cut back poinsettias before the end of August for the last time in order to ensure good winter color.
4. Predominant pest to watch for this month include chinchbugs, scale, mealybugs, thrips, caterpillars, and sod webworms.
5. Continue spraying roses that are susceptible to black spot and other fungus diseases
6. Annuals may appear leggy and worn now. These can be cut back hard and fertilized to produce a new flush of bloom.
7. Prune to shape hedges for the last time this season.
8. Evergreens can be planted or transplanted now to ensure good rooting before winter arrives. Water both the plant and the planting site several days before moving.
9. Begin planting lettuce and radishes for fall now.
10. Clean out cold frames to prepare for fall use.

September

1. Check lawns for chinch bug, armyworm and sod webworm.
2. Check the level of mulch and maintain at 2-3 inches depth.
3. Take cuttings or divide perennials.
4. Consider starting vegetables and annuals from seed. Try salvia, verbena, ageratum, celosia, nasturtium and wax begonia along with vegetable varieties of lettuce, lima beans, tomato, onion, cabbage and broccoli.
5. Continue planting evergreens now.
6. Herbs such as parsley, rosemary, chives, thyme and marjoram can be dug from the garden and placed in pots now for growing indoors this winter.
7. Lift gladiolus when their leaves yellow. Cure in an airy place until dry before husking.
8. Poinsettias can be forced into bloom for Christmas if they are moved indoors now to a sunny windowsill. Each night, they must be kept in a cool, dark place where there is no light for 14 hours. This must continue until proper color is achieved in 6-10 weeks.
9. Autumn is a good time to add manure, compost or leaf mold to garden soils for increasing organic matter content.
10. Check all along peach tree trunks to just below soil line for gummy masses caused by borers. Probe holes with thin wire to puncture borers.