Lawn
• Apply second application of crabgrass preventer by June 15 unless you have used Dimension or Barricade for the April application. These two products normally provide season-long control with a single application. Remember to water it in. If grubs have been a problem in the past, apply a product containing “Merit’ or “Mach 2″ during the first half of July. This works as a grub preventer. It must be watered in before it becomes active.
• Time to raise the lawnmower blade to at least 3″ to promote deeper root growth, thicker foliage and greater resistance to both drought and weeds.
• Fertilize zoysia lawns with high nitrogen fertilizer such as 27-3-3
• Sod or plug bare areas in zoysia lawns
• Spot treat for broadleaf weeds
• Core aerate zoysia lawns for removal of thatch and overall vigor
• Let grass clippings fall for nutrient recycling
• Water the turf sparingly to increase drought tolerance during heat of summer. Let turf wilt between watering for best results
• Check mower blade for sharpness and sharpen as needed
• Check lawn mower engine oil and add or change according to owners’ manual
Landscape
• Were grasshoppers a problem last year? If this summer is a typical hot and dry summer you may want to apply Semispore around your flower beds, garden and perimeter of your yard. Semispore is a biological grasshopper bait that contains bacterium that they ingest and it makes them sick and die. Now is the time (early June) to apply this product. Re-apply again after a hard rain.
• Check for bagworms and other leaf-eating caterpillars. Spray now.
• Watch for sticky honeydew produced by aphids, white flies and other sucking pests. Spray with insecticidal soap; repeat in a week.
Vegetables and Fruits
• Renovate June bearing strawberry beds
• Fertilize strawberries and water regularly to promote new growth
• Plant another crop of sweet corn and green beans
• Watch tomatoes for foliar leaf disease development and treat
• Mulch crops for moisture conservation and weed control
• Continue a regular fruit disease and insect control program
• Treat peach trees for trunk borers
• Remove sucker growth from base of trees and along branches
• Pinch herbs to keep bushy and fresh with new growth
• Turn compost pile and keep moist for a quicker breakdown
• Watch for early blight and other fungal diseases on tomatoes. Remove infected leaves, mulch and use drip irrigation to prevent spread of disease.
Flowers
• Pinch chrysanthemums for development of a bushy plant
• Deadhead spent flower blossoms to keep plant flowering
• Remove flower stalks from peonies and iris
• Mulch flower gardens for the summer to conserve moisture, control weeds and cool the soil
• Water and fertilize container plantings regularly to encourage growth and flowering
• Water plants as needed
Trees and Shrubs
• Remember to fertilize roses with rose formulated fertilizer.
• Dead-head roses by cutting back to the first leaf with 5 leaflets. Avoid overhead irrigation to reduce blackspot on roses.
• Fertilize with acidic fertilizer once a month: Azaelas, Rhododendrons, Holly, Hydrangeas.
• Check for bagworms and control as needed
• Mulch around the bases of trees and shrubs to conserve moisture. Be sure to keep the mulch 3” away from the trunk of the tree.
• Do not damage tree trunks with mowers and weed whips
• Check for spider mite damage on various shrubs
• Clip hedges as needed to maintain shape
Pruning
• Remember the saying “Prune In June” and do just that to anything that looks wild and has lost its shape! The spring growth has slowed down now and if you lightly prune this will keep growth under control through the rest of the season. Now is a good time to lightly prune Dwarf Spirea, Barberry, Burning Bush, Euonymus, Dogwoods, Boxwood, Holly, Mockorange, Junipers, & Yews (just shape).
• Water newly planted trees and shrubs as needed
• Prune spring flowering shrubs
Houseplants
• Fertilizer throughout the summer months to encourage growth
• Wash leaves to remove dust
• Take cuttings to start new plants
• Prune and shape plants for added beauty
• Repot plants as needed in 1″ larger containers
• Check for insect problems
This information is brought to you from Nadine Champlin, Designer, Grimms Gardens; and Johnson County K-State Research and Extension. http://www.johnson.ksu.edu/p.aspx?tabid=141
