Southwest Gardener's July Checklist
July indicates the midpoint of summer and the onset of the monsoon season for the Southwest, which brings with it enhanced humidity together with sporadic torrential rainstorms. While the increased humidity which is included with monsoons can make being outside more embarrassing for you, your plants will welcome the relief from the intense dryness.
Summer rains will cause increased weeds, and blustery conditions can wreak havoc on your own trees, meaning that weeding and preventative tree pruning are among the set of gardening activities for the month of July.
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The American Southwest is a vast place, covering most of Arizona and New Mexico and parts of California, Nevada, Texas and Utah. The regions of the Southwest are varied and include non deserts, high deserts and mountainous regions, covering USDA zones 5 though 9.
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All Of Desert Regions
Prune back thick, overhanging branches that are vulnerable to breaking during high winds. The Southwest is susceptible to ferocious monsoon storms combined with torrential rain and strong wind gusts. Because of this, end damage to trees is common. To help avoid broken limbs or unsalted trees, prune back some branches that are in danger of failing due to excessive weight.
The way to assist your trees weather a storm
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Try succulents in containers. Summer can be a rough time to cultivate flowering plants in containers. Succulents are easy to look after and look great. Try developing agave (Agave spp), elephant bush (Portulacaria afra), lady’s slipper (Pedilanthus macrocarpus)or red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora).
Revealed: Palo verde tree, Parry’s agave implanted in containers and elephant’s food.
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Create your own portable drip irrigation utilizing a plastic milk jug. Some plants need a little additional water during the summer months. If your hose can’t reach all your plants, don’t worry — deep water plants using a plastic milk jug container. Simply poke tiny holes in the ground with a nail, fill with water and place together with your plant (make sure to slightly loosen the cap, or so the water won’t flow out).Your plant is going to be watered slowly, allowing the water to percolate into the soil without runoff.
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Plant sunflowers throughout the summer for temporary and beauty shade. Sunflowers are simple to grow from seed throughout the summer. They’re a terrific way to provide shade for edibles like cucumber and tomato plants.
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Water roses in the summer but don’t fertilize them. The large heat of summer can be difficult on roses. Their blossoms are smaller and frequently burn in the heat. Roses frequently enter summer dormancy, which means that they cease blooming altogether, which is normal.
During this time roses are utilizing their resources to cope with the impacts of the heat. Adding fertilizer will only stress your roses, so wait till fall to fertilize them again.
Revealed: Roses with signs of heat damage
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Know that tomatoes and peppers may stop producing new fruit in the summer. When temperatures rise above 90 degrees, the pollen is no longer workable. However, any berries and peppers present will continue to grow and ripen. Once temperatures cool, the blossoms will look again and new fruit will begin forming.
Summer provides a bounty of heat-loving fruits and vegetables in the garden. Watermelon, cantaloupe, bush beans, cucumbers, tomatoes and zucchini are only some edibles you can harvest from the garden in July.
Revealed: Tomato blossoms
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Upper Elevations (Over 6,000 Trainers)
Brighten up a bare fence by planting flowering perennials. Why settle for a boring, plain fence when you can jazz it up by adding colorful perennials? Plant a blend of coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), daylilies (Hemerocallis sp), phlox (Phlox spp) and rudbeckia (Rudbeckia spp)for a vibrant impact that will have passersby stopping to admire your own garden.
Revealed: Rudbeckia hirta
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Search for signs of leafcutter bees. These beneficial bees cut out circular areas of leaves and then use them to line their nests. The damage is mostly cosmetic, and plants typically don’t suffer any ill effects, so the best advice is to ignore them. A lot of people find leafcutter bees that a delightful addition to the garden.
Enjoy the antics of leafcutter bees in the garden
Revealed: Rose leaves damage from leafcutter bees
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Watch for indications of drought damage in shrubs and conifers. Brown, crispy stains on outer leaves or browned tips about the needles of conifers are signals your shrubs and trees need a deep drink of water. It’s possible to deep water them by using a hose onto a slow drip around the drip line (where the outer branches end)of every drought-stressed plant.
Get ready for August. The dog days of summer will arrive shortly, but fall is just around the corner. Determine which shrubs can be lightly pruned and the best way to prepare your own vegetable garden for cool-season vegetables.
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