July Gardening Checklist

JULY CHECKLIST FOR GARDENERS

• It’s time to check for bagworms on all junipers and conifers. As most of you will agree bagworms can be found on any living plant, so check all surrounding plants if you notice some on their favorite host plant junipers. Some of the recommended insecticides are Sevin, malathion, acephate, Bt, bifenthrin, spinosad, and fluvalinate. Always read and follow label directions.
  
  
• Pumpkins are planted this time of year for harvest this fall just in time for the holiday season. Keep plants well watered and free of insect pests. Spray every 7 days, or as needed with bifenthrin.
  
  
• Start planning for a fall garden. Make plantings of squash, tomato, beans, cucumbers, southern peas, and any other vegetables which will mature before late October.
  
  
• If your tomato leaves are turning yellow with dark spots from the bottom up and defoliating, this is early blight. This is a disease that needs to be prevented before it starts. This fungus can survive in the soil for several years. If you have early blight on your tomato plants spray with chlorothalonil (Daconil) every 4-5 days.
  
  
• Tomato blossom drop is a problem as daytime temperature hits the upper 90s and night temperature does not fall below 75. As cooler temperatures come your tomato plants will set again. If blossom end rot is a problem, remember it is a calcium deficiency and can be minimized by keeping the moisture level constant and applying a soluble calcium called Stop Rot, Blossom End Rot Control or Blossom End Rot Preventer. Soil test to make sure your pH is in the proper range.
  
  
• As you wrap-up the harvest on your tame blackberries, cut out the old canes (this years producing cane) to allow space for all the new canes that will produce fruit next year. As the new canes reach shoulder height, tip prune to encourage side branching, which also prevents new canes from arching over and reaching for the ground.
  
  
• Water your shade trees before drought stress begins because you can never play catch up on watering trees. For well established trees, water deep once a week. Apply an inch or more water. Newly planted trees require watering twice a week during dry weather.
  
  
• Avoid heavy summer pruning. Light pruning is fine. Even small limbs in the way of the lawn mower are fine to remove during a hot summer.
  
  
• Raise your mower blades to cut your fescue lawn to 3 inches or more. Doing this will help protect grass roots from the summer heat and encourages a more extensive root system. Deeper roots will be beneficial during a drought. Water the soil to a depth of 4-6 inches every 3-4 days if possible. Don’t fertilize your fescue lawn during the summer.
  
  
• Spider mites can be a severe problem at this time of year. They become very active during hot weather. Most ornamentals and vegetable crops are subject to attack. Bifenthrin, malathion or insecticidal soap are good choices to use on ornamentals and malathion or insecticidal soap on vegetable crops. Read label directions before use and most important follow directions on days to harvest vegetables after use.
  
  
• Summer is the time to dig and divide irises. Irises do best in full sun but will tolerate some shade. High fertility encourages rhizomes to rot and fewer blooms. Fertilize lightly this fall for beds that you dig and divide this summer.
  
  
• Beds overrun with bermudagrass are a maintenance headache. You can use herbicides such as Fusilade (fluazifop-P), Segment (sethoxydim), or Envoy (clethodim) right over the top of selected ornamentals and as a directed spray to others to kill the invasive bermuda. In our trials fluazifop-P has been the most effective on bermudagrass. These herbicides are a little costly but it will clean up an eyesore. These are grass killers, so remember to avoid spraying your ornamental grasses. As with any herbicide be sure to read and follow label directions.
  
  
• If your summer annuals look like they are tired, fertilize them with half a pound (one cup) of 27-0-0 per 100 sq. ft. Watering is also important.
  
  
• If you haven't already done so, put your leftover garden seeds in a ziplock bag and drop them in the freezer. You can keep many garden seeds this way for several years including seeds you collect from the garden, flowers or vegetables.
  

Mark D. Keaton
County Extension Agent
For more information on any of the above topics, please feel free to contact the University Of Arkansas Division Of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service at 425-2335.