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Things to Do This Month
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Ornamental Annuals and Perennials
- Allow bulb foliage to remain until it browns and dies back naturally. Then, move or divide as needed.
- Plant gladiolus at 2-week intervals for extended periods of blooming.
- Plant caladiums, dahlias, cannas, elephant ears and other summer blooming bulbs as ground warms.
- Plant warm-season annuals and begin fertilizing.
- Pinch mums to promote bushier plants.
Lawns
- Fertilize warm-season grasses like zoysia now.
- Control broadleaf weeds with a post-emergent herbicide.
- Maintain proper mowing height for turf species. 1.5-2” for bluegrass, 2-3.5” for tall fescue, and 1.5” for zoysia.
- Monitor turf for sod webworms emerging now.
Trees and Shrubs
- Prune spring-flowering shrubs as soon as possible after flowering.
- Pinch azalea and rhododendron flowers and fertilize after they’ve finished blooming.
- Spray trees subject to borer damage. Repeat two more times at 3-week intervals.
- Check pines for sawfly activity on new shoots.
- Fruit and ornamental trees such as apple, crabapple and hawthorn should be sprayed preventatively to control rust disease.
Fruits and Vegetables
- Prune suckers and watersprouts from fruit and ornamental trees.
- Succession plant warm-season crops after harvesting cool-season crops.
- Monitor for slugs by placing a board over damp soil in the garden. Check under the board each morning and destroy slugs found.
- Thin root crops like carrots and beets to promote larger produce.
- Monitor for striped and spotted cucumber beetles, vectors of wilt and mosaic diseases in squash and cucumber plants.
Miscellaneous
- Attract insect-eating birds to your yard by providing water and nesting habitat.
- Take houseplants outdoors as nighttime temperatures remain above 55. Acclimate them by placing in a protected area for a week or two before moving to sunnier locations. Avoid afternoon sun altogether.
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