July 2007 Garden Tips

1st - Primex is still open on Sundays this month.
Our hours in July are:

Monday – Friday 8 am – 6 pm
Saturday 9 am – 4 pm
Sunday 10 am – 4 pm

2nd - Pinch chrysanthemums for the last time to enjoy bushier plants.

3rd - Japanese Beetles are a big problem right now! Primex offers a number of control methods. See our article on Japanese Beetle/Grub control on this month’s web site, In the Nursery page.

4th - Independence Day! Primex is closed today.

5th - When planning your vacation, make arrangements for someone to water your houseplants, gardens and containers. Primex carries a number vacation watering alternatives if a human is not available. Our list includes: DirectRoot GelSpikes, Garland Self Watering Windowsill Plant Trays, RainMat, AquaCones, Blumat, Mr. Evergreen and PlantCare watering systems.

6th - Stop by Primex and pick up a Treegator. These slow drip irrigation bags for trees come in two sizes, 14 and 20 gallon.

7th - Primex carries a great selection of hand tools for weeding and scissors for deadheading this summer’s garden.

8th - Summer fun for the kids at Primex! We carry wheelbarrows, tools, gloves, kneelers, watering cans and assorted garden craft kits to peak children’s interest in gardening this year.

9th - Maintain grass at three inches or higher this summer. This will protect the lawn from heat stress and provide shade to help prevent weeds and water evaporation. If clippings are left on the lawn after mowing, they add nitrogen to the soil as they decompose reducing the amount of supplemental fertilizer required.

10th - Avoid nicking the bark of trees when mowing or trimming. The wounds can girdle and kill trees. Wounds also provide an entry way for pests and disease to enter the tree. A ring of mulch around the base of the plant will aid in its protection. Primex carries a variety of mulches including the Fiskars® Permanent Tree Ring, a permeable mulch ring made of recycled tire rubber.

11th - Treat thrip damage on annuals and perennials with Ortho Systemic Insect Control or environmentally friendly Neem Oil.

12th - Kill unwanted grass and weeds safely with the Bernzomatic Weed Burner or with Burnout, a vinegar and lemon juice based herbicide.

13th - Help control the mosquito population by adding fish to your pond. For areas with standing water try Mosquito Dunks or Bits, an environmentally friendly control.

14th - Keep an eye out for insects and disease on ornamentals, fruits, and vegetables. Use the Ortho Dial ‘n Spray or Tree & Shrub Spray-ette for easy application of the remedy.

15th - Bring hummingbirds to the garden. At Primex, we carry numerous plants to use as attractants such as Daylilies, Cardinal Flower, Trumpet Vine and Verbena.

16th - Install a rain barrel to catch every precious drop of water.

17th - Continue biweekly fertilizing of annuals with Miracle Gro or Jack’s Classic Blossom Booster 10-30-20.

18th - Spray with Ortho Systemic Insect Control if you see lace bug on your azaleas, mountain laurels or piers.

19th - Dig up some of your potatoes now and enjoy smaller ‘new’ potatoes while allowing the rest to mature.

20th - If you need to fertilize your lawn, use an organic fertilizer like Espoma Organic Lawn Food or Bradfield Organics Lawn & Garden as they will not burn your lawn.

21st - Primex Double Points Day

22nd - Continue to feed the birds and enjoy their company all summer.

23rd - Spot treat goosegrass and crabgrass with Bonide MSMA Crabgrass Killer or Ortho Weed B Gon Crabgrass Killer.

24th - Many summer lawn diseases appear this month. Bring in a one foot square sample of sod, with some good and some diseased grass, for a diagnosis and treatment recommendation.

25th - The flowers of many annuals are ready for harvesting and preserving this month. Air drying is the most convenient method for most flowers. Simply cut small bunches, tie together and hang in an area with excellent air flow and low light.

26th - Use a Gilmour Flexogen Hose and a Dramm Watering Wand to hand water container and other gardens. This method of watering is gentle and won’t damage your plants or disturb the soil.

27th - Keep mosquitoes from ruining your summer barbeque by spraying the lawn and gardens with Bonide Mosquito Beater or St. Gabriel Laboratories Mosquito Repellent. Ortho Mosquito B Gon and Bonide Yard & Patio Fogger can be sprayer on porches, decks and, patio to keep mosquito and other flying insects at bay.

28th - Continue to weed, stake and deadhead flowering plants to keep the garden tidy this summer.

29th - This is our last open Sunday of the summer.

30th - Start seeds now for a fall crop of broccoli, cabbage and brussel sprouts.

31st - Update your gardening journal regularly as ideas, successes and failures are fresh in your mind.