HOME DESIGN : A SPECIAL ISSUE OF ORANGE COUNTY LIFE : JULY GARDENING SPECIFICS . . .

July is the month one can find a large assortment of zonal geraniums such as “Cherry Blossom,” a white with pink center, and “Penny,” a dark salmon, at local garden centers.

Geraniums do well in pots or in the ground and respond best to regular watering, feeding and grooming. Pinching off the spent flowers will encourage more bloom.

Worms can be a problem on geraniums, usually chewing up the flower buds before they open. Control can most often be accomplished by using Sevin or a product containing Bacillus Thuringiensis (BT). Should whitefly become a problem on any plant, spray with an insecticidal soap, which will help control them in the early stages of infestation.

During the hot summer, roses can benefit from a mulch or redwood compost. This will deter weed growth and help conserve moisture.

AND GENERAL JULY CARE TIPS

If there’s not enough rainfall, water your lawn and garden deeply in the mornings when needed and use a generous layer of mulch.

Feed your vegetables periodically with a mild, balanced fertilizer for bigger and better harvests.

Now is an excellent time to plant almost anything from containers or flats; just don’t let the plants dry out before or after planting. A little vitamin B-1 will help them overcome the transplanting shock.

Both corn and beans can still be planted at two-week intervals to prolong harvest.

If your lawn has brown spots and low-flying moths in the evening, you might have a problem with lawn moth larvae.

Source: California Association of Nurserymen.

Source: Wade Roberts, Garden Director, Sherman Library and Gardens