Mid-Summer in Mansfield doesn't have to be a month to hide from our gardens.  Here is your July garden check list to be sure the great outdoors stays beautiful, despite the heat.

Planting:

-Vegetables: Tomato plants, pepper plants, eggplant plants, and okra, black-eyed pea, cucumber, winter squash, pumpkin (for a Halloween harvest!), watermelon, and cantaloupe seeds.

-Plan your fall vegetable garden beds!

-Lawn and Landscape: Warm season turf grass (water regularly until established).  Tropical / heat and drought resistant annuals for summer and early fall color in containers: mandevilla vines, portulaca, purslane, black-foot daisy.   Heat and drought friendly perennials for garden bed boosts this year and beyond: Texas tarragon, ruellia, sedum/stonecrop, ornamental grasses, rock rose, hyssop, cone flower (pictured here). Looking for interesting, native or more unusual plants for your landscape? Try your local farmers market! 

Pruning:

-Prune any dead wood or dying growth from trees, shrubs and perennials.

-Remove and replant any cooler weather annuals than have died back.

-Dead-head (cut back spent blooms) from perennials that are finished blooming to encourage healthy leaf and root growth.

-Carefully and minimally prune any plants that may have too much top-growth and root damage.  This is particularly important after very wet spring seasons!

General Garden Care:

 -Be water wise! Water garden and lawn areas between 3 and 8 am for best absorption and to reduce the likelihood of disease or sun scorch.

-Do a quick walk through to inspect for insects. Treat any growing or noticeable infestations appropriately.

-Hot, humid days are the ideal conditions for spider mites – be sure to check evergreens and vegetable crops in particular.  If caught early, a rinse with dilute soapy water will fix the problem.

-Notice any plants looking like they may be nutrient deficient? Signs of leaf yellowing? Fertilize sparingly and appropriately using a good organic supplement. 

-Empty any standing water to reduce mosquito populations.

 Happy Gardening – let's make Mansfield even more beautiful!