Summer is a good time to upgrade your hardscaping:  Install new walkways and patios, build walls, and correct water erosion and flooding problems. Call us during July and mention this web page for a free hardscaping appointment.

There are many shrubs that offer summer color including Hydrangeas, Butterfly Bush (Buddleia), Abelia, Purple Smoke Bush (Cotinus), Summersweet (Clethra), Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus), St. Johnswort (Hypericum), Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia), Potentilla, Weigela, Yucca and of course Roses.

Finish pruning and feeding your shrubs by the end of the month.  (See June for details!)

This is the month it is very important to stay on top of weeds.  Weeds can be sprayed with ‘Round-Up’ or ‘Weed-be-Gone’, but be careful not to spray your good plants.  (If some spray gets on a good plant wash it off at once with a watering can.)  Weeds can be turned over into the ground, or cut off.  However, the best approach is to gently pull out the weeds with the roots intact while they are still young, preferably after a rain when the soil is moist.  Weeds that are left to flower and go to seed will multiply rapidly in future years.

Feed your annuals and house plants in pots weekly with liquid fertilizer, which you can mix up from a blue powder available at most supermarkets and garden centers.

Make sure you give the garden a good watering before you go away on vacation!  (Look at the June page for more details on watering during the summer.)

Lawns should be cut at 3″-4″ high from now until Labor day.  Lawns should either not be watered at all, or water deeply in the early morning 2-3 times a week with a circulating sprinkler.  Watch out for insect damage particularly in areas which face into the full afternoon sun.

Putting up Japanese Beetle traps can help in reducing grubs in lawns, as well as cutting down on damage to shrubs and flowers.

Continue to tip prune your Mums and Asters every 2 weeks until mid August. Also cut off the dead flowers from perennials as they finish blooming. This will keep the garden looking tidy and encourages extra flowering.

Plant seeds of carrots starting July 4th, and Beets and Swiss Chards in the third week of July.

Use your hose to sharply spray Alberta Spruces a few times a week to discourage spider mites. You can also do the same to Pieris to discourage Lacebug.  Inspect Azaleas carefully for insects, you will have to use insecticides if you get a bad infestation. This normally will only occur when Azaleas are planted in large quantities, and are stressed by lack of water, or are in the full sun.

Bulbs that add color to your garden in the early spring need to be planted in November.  The best bulbs can be custom imported directly from Holland, but the orders need to be placed by Labor Day!  Call us in July and August to design your bulb display and place your order.

Call Creative Landscapes today at 6105-565-9910 for all your summer  landscaping projects!