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July Gardening Tips

Plant

Plant summer color such as lantana, portalaca, verbena, vinca and zinnia in sunny areas. Use coleus, impatiens and wax begonia in shady areas. Summer snapdragon, Angelonia sp., are heat lovers for full sun. Gaura also blooms all summer and loves the heat.
There is still time to plant bean, corn, cucumber and summer squash seeds in the vegetable garden.
This is a great time to plant tropicals such as bougainvillea, gingers, heliconia, pikake, hibiscus, plumeria and palms. Coastal areas can do this into August, but it can get too hot in some inland areas.
Plant citrus and avocado along with tropical fruits like bananas, jaboticaba, lychee and mango.

Feed & Fertilize

Fertilize citrus for continued fruit and foliage production.
Salts are starting to build up in the soil. To minimize leaf burn on sensitive plants, use Plants Choice SR. It's more effective than gypsum at removing salt from soils.
Continue monthly fertilizing of roses with organic fertilizers that don't burn.
Aerate lawns to promote strong root growth.
This is about the time to feed camellias for the third and last feeding. The rule of thumb is to feed camellias six to eight weeks after the last bloom has dropped, then administer two more feedings at six to eight week intervals. Feed camellias and azaleas a final time with cottonseed meal or Whitney Farms Azalea, Camellia and Rhododendron Food. Mulch around camellias to keep their roots cool.

Prune/Trim/Clean

Pinch back leggy petunias 50 percent and deadhead flowering plants to promote their continued flowering.
Pinch off fuchsia seedpods to encourage continued flowering. Misting on hot days will help keep plants cool, but don't keep plants soggy. Take down baskets during Santa Ana winds and protect them.
Prune late blooming shrubs and roses, and prune wisteria one more time.
Prune back spring poinsettias 15 percent.
Cut back hydrangeas after blooms have faded. New wood will grow and this will produce next year's flowers.
Cut blade grass lawns a bit higher during the summer months to conserve water (3 - 4 inches for blade grasses and 1 inch for Bermuda grass).

MISCELLANEOUS

This is a good time to propagate bromeliads by cutting off pups when they are about one-third the size of the mother plant. Make sure they get enough shade during hot weather.
Bougainvilleas less than three years old should be watered regularly. Stop watering established plants (over three years old) at this time. There is no need to water bougainvillea that has been in your garden five or more years. Bougainvillea are not heavy feeders so little fertilization is necessary.
Place ripening melons on upside-down aluminum pie pans or cans to keep them off damp soil. The reflected heat and light will help them ripen evenly and sooner than when they are shaded by foliage. Once melon vines have set three or four fruits, remove any new blossoms. This allows the plant to put all its energy into producing big, flavorful specimens from existing fruit.
Decrease the watering of figs now until fruit ripens to avoid splitting fruit.