Summer (June-Aug)

Planting

• You can continue to plant warm season turf during early summer. Species like Zoysia. Bermuda and St. Augustine will grow and thrive. This is also a good time to plant ground cover and perennials like gomphrena, begonia, periwinkle, portulaca, salvia, purslane, etc.
• Early to mid-July is a good time to plant sweet and hot peppers, tomatoes, and okras for the fall harvest.
• Complete planting warm season grass by late August and early September to ensure they’re strong and well-established for the fall freeze.
• Mid to late August is also a good time to plant perennials like Mexican mint marigold, asters, garden chrysanthemums, and rain lilies.
• Plant vegetable and herb plants like eggplant, broccoli, snap beans, lima beans, collards, okra, parsley, Brussels sprouts, etc, for the fall harvest.

Pruning

• Start pruning dead or broken branches of woody ornamentals early in June when the temperature is still quite mild. It’s not a good idea to prune them during the summer heat as that would stress to the plants.
• It’s also time to prune climbing roses after the blooms start to fade in early June. Snip off all the dried foliage from early spring bulbs and remove faded stalks and branches.
• Cut spent and dried flowers on annuals and perennials to help encourage new blooms. It’s also a good idea to cut chrysanthemums to encourage new growth during the summer. All of this should be done early when the temperature is still mild.
• Trim spring-planned perennials and annuals in mid to late August to prepare them for fall temperatures.
• Stop trimming chrysanthemums and Mexican mint marigold during August to ensure the plants are ready for fall bloom.

Caring for plants

• Increased temperature leads to increased evaporation and different watering requirements. Pay attention to the watering needs of the plants and always water them in the morning before 8 AM to reduce the risk of fungal infestation or excessive evaporation.
• Fertilize the soil for annual flowers, herbs, and vegetables. Early summer is also a good time to fertilize for warm season turf to ensure they continue to grow well.
• Check plants for pests and problems like aphids, webworms, bagworms, spider mites, and mildew and treat accordingly.
• Early June is the perfect time to aerate the lawn to let the soil breathe.
• Harvest vegetables that ripen during this period and make sure they don’t rot on the branches.
• Mow the warm season turf every 5 to 7 days because they experience rapid growth in summer.
• Look for iron deficiency in plants during late summer and treat with chelated iron wherever needed.