âEverything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.â â Jenny Han
Squeeze the ice cubes into the water bottle; July is a couple of days away. Many activities await Colorado gardeners in whatâs typically the hottest month of the year, including maintaining, weeding and even harvesting. Lucky us!
Early July
⢠Direct seed zinnias. They prefer warm soil for germination. Zinnias give a fresh bloom of flowers later in the season when other annuals are looking spent.
⢠No rain? Donât forget to deeply water trees. Check the top and outer leaves of trees and shrubs for drought injury. Pine needles turning brown on the part of the branch closest to the trunk is normal, but watch for browning on the tip of the branch.
⢠Apply or reapply mulch; it helps prevent soil compaction, retains moisture and keeps the soil cooler.
⢠Mow lawns as often as needed keeping grass height between 2½ and 3 inches.
Mid July
This time of year is all about flowers. Make sure to take some early-morning trips to the garden to cut blooms for your favorite vase.
⢠Stop pinching fall-blooming perennials such as asters and chrysanthemums. Do pinch back petunias to encourage new flowers.
⢠Cut back delphinium and perennial salvia to encourage a second bloom.
⢠Fertilize hybrid tea and standard roses. Remove faded flowers to encourage new blooms. Cut back the stem of single-flowering roses to the first five-leaflet leaf. Prune climbing roses after flowering.
⢠Pinch back or disbud dahlias for larger flowers. Remove at least two pair of side buds below the top bud.
⢠Dig and divide bearded iris and spring-blooming poppies. Discard old and/or diseased rhizomes.
Late July
In the vegetable garden:
⢠Tomatoes need consistent watering to prevent blossom end rot and misshapen fruit.
⢠Harvest zucchini when the fruits are 6 to 8 inches long. They are at their best at that size.
⢠Replant leaf lettuce and sow seeds of sugar snap peas for a fall harvest.
Diseases and pests
⢠Watch for powdery mildew. If you notice it on a plant, use horticultural oil or baking soda. A product containing sulphur is a safe way to help prevent the disease on susceptible plants.
⢠Control pests. Tomato hornworms can be plucked by hand off the plant and squished. If squishing is too gross for you, put them in a plastic bag and freeze before discarding.
⢠Check Alberta spruce and junipers for a sprawling white web; a forceful jet of water from a hose can keep spider mites under control on most ornamental plants.
⢠Insecticidal soap is effective for controlling aphids.
⢠Never squish a lady beetle (lady bug); they are beneficial insects and will gobble up unwanted garden pests.
Submit gardening questions to [email protected] or call 719-520-7684. The in-person help desk is open 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at 17 N. Spruce St. Find us on Facebook at Colorado Master Gardeners – El Paso County.
Submit gardening questions to [email protected] or call 719-520-7684. The in-person help desk is open 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at 17 N. Spruce St. Find us on Facebook at Colorado Master Gardeners – El Paso County.
