July Gardening Activities – Region 5
Rocky Mountain and California Mountain Gardens
States in this region include: Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and California (Mountain).
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Keep an eye on your shrubs on July 4th. More than one house fire has happened due to an errant firework landing in a shrub border. Spraying down the foliage and watering plants well may help prevent tragic circumstances.
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Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored
clothing
when working in the garden. (And don’t forget the hat, sunscreen and water bottle!) Early morning and evening hours are the coolest times to work outside. Remember to pace yourself – the garden will be there tomorrow.
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Check
your newly planted trees and shrubs frequently for moisture. Water every 3-5 days or as needed to keep soil moist. Make sure your established trees and shrubs are watered every week or two, especially if there's been no measurable precipitation.
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Use 2-3 inches of non-treated grass clippings as mulch in your vegetable garden. Besides keeping weeds at bay, the clippings will help hold in moisture and keep plant roots cool.
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Grow herbs. (It’s easy in the summer garden!) Then take the time to make your own
dried seasonings, oils and infusions so you can continue to enjoy your summer harvest when the snow flies!
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Before going on your
summer vacation, enlist a trustworthy neighbor or gardening friend to care for your lawn and garden while you’re away. To make sure your plants (and friendship) survive, invite your “garden babysitter” over to your yard before you leave, so you can clearly discuss your task expectations.
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Keep your
roses
well-hydrated as temperatures continue to climb. (A well-hydrated rose is a healthy, happy one!) Use a soaker hose or drip irrigation to get water to the roots – where it’s most needed.
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Got mulch? If your landscape beds haven’t been mulched yet, it’s time to get it done! A few inches of organic mulch is all that’s needed to keep weeds at bay, conserve needed soil moisture and protect roots from the hot, scorching sun. (A word to the wise: Never mound mulch around the crown or trunk of plants; keep it a few inches away.) If you already have mulch in your beds, check how it’s holding up. If it’s become matted, fluff it up. If the layer is thin, add a bit more.
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Water your plants before the application of any pesticide is made! A well-hydrated plant or lawn is much less likely to have a negative reaction to the spray.
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Leave your grass a bit longer during the hotter months. Set the mower blade to 3 ½ inches. Recycle the clippings back into the lawn to provide a little extra nutrition. (Note: Clippings do not create thatch.) In the market for a
new lawn mower? Learn what your options are before you go shopping!
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Give your lawn a refreshing drink…repeatedly. It needs long, thorough waterings, especially in high temps. Give it 1-2 inches of water per week, with as much of that in one application as possible, to help keep the grass healthy and green. (But be prepared: It could take several hours to apply that needed amount of water.)
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Get out your camera and
garden journal
– it’s time to take inventory of what’s doing well and what’s struggling in your garden! Documenting how your garden grows will help you decide what to plant next season. They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, so photograph the good (for replication next year), capture the bad (so mistakes aren’t repeated) and avoid the ugly next year.
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