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Stay cool and use these July gardening tips
Mississippi Gardens Newspaper and Web Column - June 28, 2004

The weather we Southern gardeners face in July often limits our time outdoors and forces us inside for a glass of iced tea and cooler temperatures. Thank goodness for air conditioning! To survive in our climate, plants must be tolerant of high heat and humidity. Adapted plants like okra, peas, melons, turf grasses and many landscape plants grow most rapidly this time of year. Now is the time to maintain spring planted vegetables, herbs and bedding plants, continue scouting for pest and diseases, and, of course, keep the lawn at a manageable height.

Annual flowering plants in the landscape, or hanging baskets, need some TLC to keep them going in midsummer's heat. Even durable petunias benefit from light pruning, timely fertilization and, of course, water in the absence of rainfall.

Perennials may need deadheading to keep them looking good and to prevent plants from sending much needed food to developing seeds. Consider whether or not your perennials need additional fertilizer to keep them vigorous. Keep grass and other weeds from taking over. Once weeds are dealt with consider adding a fresh layer of compost mulch.

Trees and shrubs can be given a third and final dose of fertilizer in July. When using quick release fertilizers we can apply them in March, May and July. Many gardeners have made the switch, however, to slow release forms of landscape fertilizer and make one application in late spring. Application of fertilizer such as 6-8-8 at the rate of 2 pounds per 100 square feet is a good rule of thumb for landscape trees and shrubs. One quart of 6-8-8 weighs about 2 pounds.

Gardeners often ask about transplanting trees and shrubs in midsummer. This is not a good idea. When a tree or shrub is dug, roots are severed. Since the roots supply water, the plant will usually die from heat stress soon after it is transplanted. A better choice is to select a containerized tree or shrub from the garden center and plant it in a location where it can be watered or wait until late fall or winter to dig the specimen that is to be transplanted.

Many summer blooming bulbs can be used as cut flowers. Calla lilies, Gladiolus, Monbretia, Liatris and Oriental lily are great choices for cut flowers. These work well in bouquets with other garden favorites like Echinaecea, Gomphrena, Rudbeckia, sunflower and Zinnia. When making flower bouquets, cut the flowers early in the morning, before 10 a.m. to insure the longest possible vase life. Bring them inside as soon as possible and place them in fresh water. Recutting the stems under water may lengthen vase life. One way to preserve cut flowers even longer is to fill the vase with half water and half clear soda pop! Happy gardening!

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