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Prune |
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Cultivate
and/or Mulching |
By
breaking up the ground 2–3 inches deep with a hoe or shovel when
you need it, you can destroy weeds, check for pests and let air
reach into the soil to cool the roots and speed up plant growth.
This task also helps to conserve water by allowing better
penetration. Wait 1–3 days after watering to cultivate. Be careful not to cultivate around azaleas,
camellias and roses or corn and tomatoes. Their shallow roots can be
damaged very easily.
A two-inch layer of mulch can be very
effective to prevent weeds and loss of water. It
will also help cool the ground and roots. If cultivating isn't
possible, this is a solution that will last longer and is often
better. Be careful to watch for stem rot and pest
problems with snails, slugs and sow bugs that like to hide and stay
cool too.
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Roses |
Roses
are taking a break now after
their beautiful display in spring and early summer. Prune roses
lightly now and you'll stimulate them to bloom wonderfully this fall.
Remove suckers below the bud union, spent flowers, rose hips and
dead twigs.
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Agapanthus
& Daylilies |
Remove
old stems that have bloomed and gone brown on daylilies and
agapanthus. Some of the new varieties don’t brown out after
blooming but remove them when they sprout "proliferates"
or little plants high on the stems. Cut them off the mother plant
when they have a couple of short roots. The proliferates can be
planted or allowed to dry upside down.
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Petunias |
Petunias
are subject to virus diseases. By dipping your shears in alcohol,
bleach or Lysol, you won’t infect them. Tobacco virus can be
spread to these plants, so if you’re a smoker, wash your hands
before pruning. Cut cascade varieties lightly, but prune others to
four inches above the ground for the second time late in the month. They’ll bounce back in about two weeks.
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Bearded
Iris |
Irises
require dividing every three years. The roots become tangled and
they will stop blooming. Once they finish flowering, between
mid-September and mid-October divide them. If you live in a hot
area, do it as soon as possible. October may be too late. (See the Divide and Plant section for
specific information on dividing irises.)
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Moraea |
This
easy to grow drought-resistant plant is very common in our
area. It does especially well near swimming pools. Some are white
with orange blotches and there is also a yellow variety. Cut the
stalk on the yellow species off at the base after they finish
blooming. Remove and clean up the seedpods on the white variety to
promote further flowering. Don’t cut the stalks of this species
and they’ll keep blooming for a long time.
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Camellias |
Keep
camellias well watered so the buds will continue producing flowers.
Twist off flower buds from each cluster leaving just one (round and
fat one) for each 2-4" of branch. Don’t remove the small
pointed growth bud. You’ll have larger flowers that are less
susceptible to blossom blight. Be sure to throw away any fallen,
dead or removed buds as they can carry disease. Adolph audusson,
alba plena, chandleri elegans, coral delight, diakagura, debutante,
freedom bell, sasanqua, shishi gashira, wildfire and yuletide will
yeild blooms in December.
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Wisteria |
Very
drought-resistant once established, your mature wisteria will
appreciate a deep watering at least once this month. Decide if you
want a tree, shrub or vine and prune accordingly. Consult a book
specifically on pruning and training wisteria so you can
achieve the look you want.
Wisteria should be tied gently to a strong
support where you want them. These plants become very large and
heavy, so if you are training it as a vine, be sure the support is
strong enough to hold it up. To create strong bloom spurs
that will give you flowers for many years, cut back new growth to
two or three buds from the main branch once it has reached the size
and shape you want.
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Oleander |
Oleander
stalks that have bloomed should be cut to the ground. To prevent
bushiness at the base, pull out any suckers you don't want. If you
are looking for a hedge, you may want a different plant, don't cut
off the tops or you won't have any flowers. After
they finish blooming, you can also prune bougainvilleas and plumbago
for a better display next spring and summer.
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Water
Lilies
and Other
Aquatic Plants |
Remove
yellowed lily and lotus leaves and spent blooms by snapping them at the base.
If left, they will pollute your pond, especially if it is hot. Use
pruners to cut dead and dying foliage from marginals. Seed heads on
marginals can be removed if desired or left on for decoration, for
food for wildlife, or to mature to be planted either by a person or
naturally. Remove large seed pods to help the plant concentrate its
energy elsewhere.
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Deciduous
Fruit Trees |
Cut
tall bright green and rapidly-growing "waterspout" shoots coming up from the
center of the trunk and branches flush
with the bark. If you let these waterspouts go untouched, they will
sap the energy from the tree and eventually become a small tree
within a tree and a big problem. Keep fallen fruit cleaned up before it can rot and spread disease. Be
sure to keep deciduous fruit trees well watered. In hot interior
zone, give a deep watering 2-3 times this month and along the coast
once or twice.
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Cool- and
Warm-Season Grasses |
Cool-season grasses should be allowed
to grow a bit taller during the hot months to protect the roots from
the sun and heat. Cut them to about 2 inches and the new disease-
and drought-resistant tall fescue varieties between 2 and 3 inches. Warm-season
grasses can be cut shorter – about an inch. Depending on your
preference, dichondra can be mowed
or left alone. Zoysia should be mowed to about
5/8 inches.
Bermuda is best dethatched in spring,
but if you weren't able to do it then, do it now while it's still
warm enough for it to recover. Dethatch by mowing the lawn twice,
once back and forth then again across, lowering the blades each time. To properly
remove the thatch, you need to rent a vertical mower. On the highest
setting, mow up and back then side to side. Then mow again
diagonally removing only about a half inch of thatch. If it is
denser than that, be sure to dethatch again once it warms up in the
spring. Follow up with a fast acting fertilizer and water
thoroughly. Keep it well watered until it's grown back well. Wait
until October to dethatch cool-season lawns.
Keep your lawn watered well during
the hot months. Water deeply, infrequently and as early in the
day as possible.
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Herbs |
Herbs
are best when dried fresh. If you have an herb garden, you
should have robust plants now. Harvest them when
flavor is at it's peak, in the morning before
the sun is very bright, but after the dew has evaporated. Dry them in bunches or lay them on screens
in a warm ventilated spot where the temperature will stay under
90°. They will keep for a year if stored in glass or plastic
containers and kept away from direct sunlight.
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Vegetables |
If
your garden is along the coast, your summer vegetables may still be
producing. If so, wait until October to start your winter
vegetables. If you are inland, you may want to clean up and clean
out the garden. Add fertilizer, manure and plenty of soil amendment
prior to planting new crops.
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