July Gardening Tips

Matterhorn Grown means quality and consistency that you can depend on. Take advantage of our colorful mixed containers - the perfect way to spruce up for summer garden parties!

• Watering Because July is usually dry and hot it is prudent to watch out for drought and to take measures against it. This month is when many newly planted trees and shrubs need to be watered to keep them from being stressed. Many trees and shrubs, that are perfectly hardy in our zone, if stressed in summer may die in winter but not from the effects of winter but from the stress of the previous summer.

Soak the ground deeply when watering and then do not water again until the ground starts to look dry. It is particularly important to water evergreen shrubs and trees for they are likely to suffer more the following winter than trees and shrubs that drop their leaves in fall.

• Dead-Heading Faded blooms of bearded iris and other garden perennials should be removed as soon as their flowers fade to keep seeds from forming unless the seeds are wanted for propagation. Annual bedding plants should also be dead-headed which will for the most part keep them blooming throughout the season. Deadhead your lilac, mountain andromeda, and rhododendron plants as soon as they finish blooming so that their energy is put into making next years flower buds and not into the production of seeds.

• Bearded Iris Care There is still time to lift, divide, and replant your bearded iris but do not delay much past the middle of the month for they may not have time to establish themselves before winter. Poorly established plants can heave from the ground when exposed to the alternate freezing and thawing periods of January-February. After lifting the plants, remove as much soil from the roots as possible. Inspect the rhizomes (stems) for any signs of iris borers or rot) and cut out any rot or borers found. Cut the rhizomes to about 2” from the leaves with a sharp knife then reduce the old roots by 1⁄2. Cut the foliage in a fan shape (about 1⁄2 way back), and let the rhizomes cuts cure in the sun for about 2 hours or until the cuts feel dry. Take the opportunity to re-do the soil by adding compost and then replant the iris rhizomes 4-6” apart placing the rhizomes JUST BARELY BELOW THE SOIL SURFACE for stability. New growth and roots will start within a couple of weeks.

• Rose Care Give your roses the last feeding of the granular fertilizer Rose Tone and water them well this month. The care you give them this month will show up when they produce a great and abundant fall bloom. During this hot time of the year be on the lookout for spider mite which love the hot and dry conditions. Continue to deadhead to help repeat blooming roses to re-bloom. Continue to spray every 10 days to prevent blackspot and powdery mildew which are prevalent at this time of the year. Water, Water. Water, roses are greedy for water at thjis time of year and will suffer for the lack of it. Water deeply and at regular weekly intervals unless rainfall is sufficient.

• Mulching Make sure that your shallow and fibrous rooted plants such as Rhododendron, azalea, Kalmia, Pieris, Leucothoe, and Enkianthus are mulched to keep the roots from drying out in the heat of the summer. Tropical bedding plants such as Lantana, Heliotrope, Canna, tuberous Begonia, Alternanthera, Scavaeola, Colocasia, Caladium, Dahlia also benefit from a top dressing of Matterhorn's Dirt Bag Compost.

• In the Water Garden To keep your garden pools healthy:
• Every week monitor the water in your pond using a Pond Test Kit.
• Once a month change 20% of the water and add KOI CARE CHLOR-GO or STRESS COAT
• Come in to Matterhorn Aquatic Center for Tropical Water Lilies, Marginals and Floaters.
• Feed your Water Lilies Monthly with Matterhorn Blossom Booster.