Thousands of homeowners are devastated by the destruction a hurricane brings. After a hurricane, homeowners assess damage to their homes and prepare for the future. Before the planning stages here is some advice.

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Due to the increase of natural disasters in our country, many companies are now creating products to help protect against future storms. After contacting your insurance company to determine their requirements and prior to collecting references and written quotes from contractors, be sure to make a list of improvements that you would like to make to your home.

Add Fiber-Cement Siding

Consider re-siding your home with fiber-cement siding. This type of siding resists damage from natural occurrences such as rain, hail, snow, salt air, hurricane force winds, as well as resistance to damage by termites. This low-maintenance siding is a good alternative to traditional types of wood and vinyl siding.

Install Impact-Resistant Windows

Many window companies now manufacture impact-resistant windows. Simonton Windows manufactures the impact-resistant StormBreaker™ Plus windows and doors designed especially for high wind-borne coastal areas. When this window is struck by a blunt object, such as blowing debris, the glass may crack, but the pieces do not fly out of the frame – they adhere to the plastic interlayer.

Select Exterior Shutters That Withstand Hurricanes

When purchasing exterior shutters for your home, choose a brand that offers a storm rated version. Atlantic Shutter Systems offers a complete line of shutters available that are approved and certified by the Florida 2000 Storm Code (the IBC National Hurricane Code). These shutters incorporate a patented storm bar system that can be engaged from inside your home.

Find the Right Contractor

Be sure to select the best contractor for your Job. A great place to start the selection process is by calling your local NAHB (National Association of Home Builders). You can secure a list of contractors from them. All NAHB offices require their members to adhere to strict standard and ethics guidelines. Be sure to check references and go look at previous jobs your prospective contractors have completed. Communication is very important when beginning any type of construction project. The best form of communication with your contractor is to have the entire scope of work detailed with a cost breakdown and payment schedule in a contract.

Many companies and organizations have valuable resources for keeping your home safe, check out www.blueprintforsafety.org or www.fema.gov for more information.

Use Weather Resistant Materials

If you are building or remodeling, that’s the time to make sure your home is storm-ready by utilizing all the weather-resistant building materials that are now available: hurricane strapping, clips, corner bracing, tie-down systems, and, of course, impact-resistant doors and windows. These materials will provide you with better protection during the next extreme weather situation.

Observe Roof Guidelines

When having your new roof installed or old roof replaced, make sure the installer is adhering to the shingle manufacturer’s warranty guidelines for installation. Proper nailing will help your roof make it through severe weather better than anything else.

Trim Limbs

Don’t wait until the last minute to trim tree limbs that are touching or almost touching your home. High winds can turn these innocent limbs into a sledgehammer creating damage to your roof, siding and windows, especially if they are not impact-resistant units.

Check Drainage Systems

Your home’s ability to drain properly through your roof, gutters, yard, driveway and sidewalks, will be severely tested during heavy rains that occur during severe storms or, even worse, hurricanes. Check now that all shingles, flashing and gutters are clean and working properly. Also check the areas around your home to ensure the flowerbeds and yard surfaces are draining all water away from your foundation.

Find the Right Contractor

Be sure to select the best contractor for your job. A great place to start is by calling your local National Association of Home Builders to get a list of recommended contractors.

Additional resources:

• The National Hurricane Center – contains the latest storm information
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency – provides valuable tips for before and after the storm.

Even with the amount of attention hurricanes have received in recent years, there are still a number of misconceptions surrounding them. Here are the top 10 myths and the truth behind them.

10. Only coastal areas are at risk from hurricanes.

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While the drama of a hurricane crashing into a coastal area makes compelling front page news, the effects are felt far inland. In fact, strong winds, heavy rain, tornadoes, and inland flooding can spread hundreds of miles from the coast, leaving extensive damage and death in their wake. Estimates by the National Hurricane Center of the effects of Tropical Storm Allison on the city of Houston, far removed from where the storm made landfall, is estimated at $4.8 billion.

9. A storm surge is the deadliest part of a hurricane.

A storm surge is a wall of water pushed ashore as the center of a hurricane moves on land. While a storm surge can be deadly, more people die from inland flooding and flash floods of rivers and streams because they underestimate the power of moving water.

8. The upper floors of an apartment or condominium are a safe place to ride out a storm.

This is called “vertical evacuation,” and it’s a bad idea. Wind speed increases the higher you go, which can blow out window and rip off siding. Plus, rising water could cause structural damage to the lower levels. If that’s not enough, high winds and rising water make rescue nearly impossible.

7. A powerful hurricane will wipe out my house so why bother preparing?

Yes, there is always the possibility of losing it all in a major storm, but you should still take precautions to minimize damage as much as possible by boarding up windows, removing debris that can be potential projectiles, and trimming dead or dying limbs from trees around your home. These simple actions could mean the difference between a repairable house and a total loss.

6. Since I have homeowner’s insurance, I don’t need to worry.

Most homeowner’s insurance has a high deductible for hurricane damage and does NOT cover flooding. Check your coverage well before hurricane season begins then supplement it with additional flood insurance if you’re in a flood prone area. A good reference and supplemental coverage program is the National Flood Insurance Program administered by the federal government.

5. Before a storm, fill bathtubs and sinks to use as drinking water.

While water stored in a bathtub can be used for washing clothes, bathing, or flushing toilets, it’s not considered sanitary enough for drinking. Use bottled water instead.

4. A mobile home that has ties downs is a safe place to ride out a storm.

Whether a mobile home is tied down or not, it is NEVER a safe place to ride out a hurricane. The general rule is that if a mandatory evacuation is ordered, ALL mobile home residents should head for a shelter.

3. You should crack the windows during a hurricane or tornado.

A common belief is that opening a window will equalize the pressure and keep your house from exploding during a storm, but studies show that the best way to keep your home safe is to keep the wind out. While no house is airtight, boarding and shuttering up windows and doors is the best protection during a hurricane, especially from flying debris.

2. Taping up windows will prevent them from breaking.

Tape does little to protect your windows from being destroyed by flying debris, and if they don’t break, the tape will have to be scraped off after the storm. The best protection is to cover the windows with 5/8” plywood or special hurricane shutters.

1. It will never happen here.

While the path of a hurricane can be hard to predict, nowhere on the Gulf or East Coast is immune as this map from the National Hurricane center illustrates. The best way to protect your life and property is to plan ahead BEFORE a storm forms then heed the warnings and advice of your local emergency management agency. And don’t forget, even if you live inland, it CAN happen to you, too.

Further Information

• Preparing for the Worst
• Preparing for Hurricane Season
• Reinforcing a Home Against Wind Damage
• (631) Hurricane Katrina Revisit

Lettuce and salad greens are favorites in the spring and fall garden. They’re easy to grow and work exceptionally well in raised beds, cold frames, and containers. And with a little planning, you can keep the harvest going throughout much of the year.

Here’s what you need to know about growing lettuce in your garden.

About Lettuce

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The many varieties of lettuce are usually divided into four categories:

• Leaf Lettuce: From red to green leaf and many varieties in between, leaf lettuce is the most popular and easiest to grow of all lettuces. It forms a loose bunch of leaves growing out of a central stalk, and it can be repeat harvested. It’s the most heat-tolerant type and is easily grown from seed.
• Cos (Romaine) Lettuce: This type has the texture similar to leaf lettuce but grows upright on a firmer stalk that can be harvested as a head.
• Head (Crisphead) Lettuce: Like the familiar iceberg you see in the supermarket, head lettuce requires a long season of cool weather and is usually grown in northern climates. In warmer areas, the season usually isn’t long enough to grow it from seed. Head lettuce is the most challenging type of lettuce to grow, with only one head produced per plant.
• Butterhead Lettuce: Buttercrunch and Bibb lettuce are the most popular varieties of butterhead lettuce. The tender, sweet leaves grow in an open, loose-head shape.

Lettuce Growing Conditions

• Climate: Lettuce is a cool-season vegetable that thrives when daytime temperatures are in the 60s to 70s and can tolerate a very light frost. It can be grown in spring and fall, and even over the winter in a greenhouse. The midsummer heat spells trouble for lettuce – causing it to go to seed (bolting) and loose flavor.
• Light: Lettuce requires five hours of sunshine a day. Because it doesn’t like the heat, lettuce does well with an eastern exposure with some afternoon shade.
• Soil: Lettuce prefers a light, rich soil with plenty of organic matter to hold moisture, and a pH around 6.5. Lettuce only needs 6” – 8” of soil, so it’s great for containers and raised beds.
• Water: Water content is the secret to producing tender, crisp leaves. Lettuce must be kept evenly watered or it will become tough.
• Maturity: If grown from seed, leaf lettuce can be harvested in about two months while head types take three months.

Lettuce Planting Tips

• Direct Seeding: Lettuce is most popularly grown from seed directly in the garden.
• Timing: Plant lettuce seeds or transplants about 2-4 weeks before your last frost date in spring, or about 6-8 weeks before your first frost date in the fall. Continue planting every two weeks, but take a break at least a month before hot summer weather arrives in your area.
• Planting: Plant lettuce seeds 1/4”-1/2” deep. Once they sprout, thin your plants so that they aren’t crowded. Leaf lettuces should be 4” apart, Cos and Butterhead about 8” apart, and Head lettuce about 12” apart. Use the thinnings in a baby green salad!
• Harvesting: To keep from being overwhelmed by your lettuce harvest, do successive plantings every two weeks, and you’ll have salad all season.
• Starting Seeds Indoors: You can also start seeds over the winter indoors or in a greenhouse. This is a great way to get a head start on your harvest before the weather gets too hot. Because lettuce can be difficult to transplant, use biodegradable peat pots that can be planted directly in the garden.
• Cold Frame: Lettuce is also perfect for cold frames, and you can take advantage of sunny days in late winter to get a head start on the spring season.
• Plants: If you decide to buy plants instead of seeds, choose ones in plantable pots, or buy preplanted containers for your patio.

Lettuce Growing Tips

• Water: Watering will make (or break) your lettuce harvest. Keep seedlings and plants evenly moist (but not soggy), and be prepared to irrigate your lettuce as the season warms. Lettuce does best with frequent light watering, rather than a “drought-and-flood” approach. Water in the morning to prevent overnight dampness and mold growth.
• Fertilizer: If you’ve focused on giving your lettuce the light, rich soil it loves, it won’t require much fertilizer.
• Diseases and Pests: The most common problems with lettuce are downy mildew and gray mold (caused by cool, wet weather), rot (common in hot, humid climates), aphids, greenflies, slugs, and critter damage (deer and rabbits). Brown tips on lettuce leaves, know as tipburn, usually indicates uneven watering. Clipping off the dead leaves and watering lightly and more frequently to cure.

Harvesting Lettuce

• Leaf Lettuce: Harvest any time the leaves are of desirable size. Use scissors, or carefully pinch off leaves. For extended harvest, just cut part of the leaves, leaving the plant to produce more.
• Head Lettuce: Harvest when the head is fully formed and firm. Use shears or a sharp knife to cut the stalk and harvest the entire head.
• Bolting: Bolting, or going to seed, happens when the weather gets hot. The stalk grows taller and, eventually, a flowering seed head will form. If your lettuce is starting to bolt, harvest it immediately. Once the flower stalk has formed, most people throw away the plants, although you can use the stalks in soups.
• Preserving: Lettuce is a fresh-only vegetable; it can’t be frozen, canned, or otherwise preserved. Plan your harvest to keep a steady supply throughout the season.
• Storage and Serving: Store fresh dry lettuce in the fridge; the cooler the better, but don’t let it freeze. Wash and pat dry just before serving. For best results, tear your lettuce into bite-size pieces, rather than cutting it, since cut edges quickly discolor.

Further Information

• Lettuce (University of Illinois Extension)
• How To Grow Lettuce (vegetablegardenguide.com)
• Vegetable Gardening: Growing Cool-Season Vegetables
• How to Plant a Fall Vegetable Garden

When I go to the garden center, after loading my cart with flowers and bushes, I head straight for the soil aisle to pile on bags of manure, soil conditioner, and all the wonderful things that I believe will make my plants happy. But is amending the soil around garden plants really a good idea? Here’s the scoop on how to – or not to – improve the soil in your garden.

Does Adding Amendments to Soil Really Work?

When I dig into the hard red clay soil in my yard, it’s hard to believe that anything will grow, much less thrive, in such poor conditions. Plants need organic matter, air circulation, and proper drainage, and my soil is lacking in all of the above. So my standard practice has been to dig a hole, sit the new plant in place, and backfill the hole with rich organic matter such as manure or compost, and I felt darn proud of the job, too.

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But when we amend the soil right around our plants, what happens? In short, we create a pocket of permeable, well-aerated, nutritious soil, surrounded by a wall of inhospitable native soil. And from what we know about plants and soil ecology, the plant roots (and the water, nutrients, and air) have trouble with boundaries.

The tiny feeder roots of the plant will resist spreading out beyond the barrier and instead grow inward in a tight circle. Water will quickly be wicked away into the native soil, or worse, will collect in the basin in what’s known as the “bathtub effect.” So we’re left with a tight ball of roots crowded in a pocket of rich soil that’s considerably wetter (or drier) than the surrounding soil. Basically, we’re left with a rootbound potted plant! And an unhappy one, at that.

How to Amend Your Garden Soil

Nowadays, any conversation on this topic tends to dissolve into a hopeless argument between the “do-digs” and the “don’t-digs.” Some believe soil amendments are vital to growing healthy plants, while others believe that if it won’t grow in your native soil, you shouldn’t be planting it. But if you want to grow plants or vegetables, and your native soil is of poor quality, what’s a gardener to do?

To keep your plants happy, all it takes is a little more thought, and a little more digging. Follow these tips to help the plants in your garden grow:

• Choose Plants Wisely: Seek out plants that are well-suited to your native soil. For example, if your soil is clay, don’t try growing coastal plants that are suited for sandy soil. This simple shift will make gardening much easier and ensure that your plants are healthy long after those soil amendments rot away.
• Improve All Soil: If you’re going to amend your soil, try to amend all of it, rather than just improving the soil right around each plant. Raised beds are a great way to improve the soil for large-scale plantings, or you can till up an entire area and replace or amend all the soil. For annual and perennial beds and lawns, amend the soil about a foot deep.
• Dig Big Hole: For deeply planted trees and shrubs where all over amendment isn’t possible, dig the largest planting hole you can. I plant shrubs in a hole no less than three feet in diameter, and yes, that’s a lot of digging!
• Don’t Overdo Amendments: The biggest problem with soil amendment comes from the extreme difference in texture between the amended and native soil. Mix small amounts of amendments into a generous helping of native soil to keep the boundary from being so shocking to the plant roots.

Further Information

• The Myth of Soil Amendments (Washington State Univ.)
• Top-Dressing to Improve the Soil in Your Yard
• Soil Evaluation (video)

Fresh broccoli is one of the highlights of the vegetable garden, growing crisp and delicious in the chilly temperatures of early spring and fall. Nowadays, I can’t remember why I disliked broccoli as a kid, but I suspect it was its kinship to cabbage and mustards – and distinctive sharp flavor – that was too much for a young veggie skeptic.

Thankfully, I overcame my broccoli boycott, because this is one of the most nutritious vegetables on the planet. It’s also easy to grow and one of those cool-weather veggies that thrives when not much else does. Here’s what you need to know about growing broccoli in your garden.

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About Broccoli

Unlike its leafy cabbage cousins, broccoli is grown for its immature flower heads. The secret to growing broccoli is to encourage full, healthy flower heads but to harvest them before they mature (“bolt”) and lose flavor.

There are many varieties of broccoli to choose from, from the popular large-headed varieties to spicy broccoli Raab to Romanesco and sprouting varieties. Some types of broccoli focus on one main flower head, while others sprout smaller individual florets. Make sure you understand the growing habits of your variety of broccoli in order to harvest properly.

Broccoli Growing Conditions

• Planting: Broccoli is a cool-season vegetable that likes daytime temperatures in the 60s and can tolerate light frost and temps down to the 20s. Many gardeners plant broccoli in early spring for the main harvest, then leave the plants growing over the summer for a second harvest in the fall.
• Summer Heat: Broccoli will “bolt” (go to seed) in hot weather, which results in a loss of flavor and toughening of texture. Some varieties are more heat-tolerant than others.
• Light: Broccoli needs full sun, at least 4-5 hours per day.
• Soil: Broccoli likes rich, well-draining soil with a pH around 6. Because of the short growing season, broccoli is in a race against time and needs high-quality soil amended with plenty of rich compost. To improve drainage, you can plant your broccoli in mounds.
• Fertilizer: Broccoli benefits from regular applications of organic fertilizer.
• Harvesting: Broccoli seeds take 3-4 months from planting to harvest while transplants take 2-3 months.

Broccoli Planting Tips

• Seeds: Unless you start seeds indoors over the winter, it may be difficult to grow a spring broccoli crop from seed, because the weather will warm too quickly. Fall crops are much easier to start from seed directly in the garden. Plant broccoli seeds about ¼ to ½ inch deep, and transplant to the garden in about 5 weeks.
• Transplants: Plant broccoli seedlings as soon as the ground can be worked in spring. If you’re planting broccoli transplants or seedlings, set them a little deeper in the soil than they were in the pot.
• Spacing: Space broccoli plants about 18 inches apart.
• Successive Plantings: Although the growing season is short for broccoli, you may be able to stagger plantings every 2-3 weeks for a longer harvest.

Broccoli Growing Tips

• Feeding: Broccoli grows in a hurry, and it needs a lot of nutrients. Rich compost will help feed your hungry broccoli, but it will also benefit from applications of compost tea or from monthly applications of a balanced organic fertilizer.
• Watering: Like other veggies, broccoli needs to be kept evenly moist. Give broccoli about an inch of water per week, and water deeply (rather than sprinkling) to encourage deep roots, but don’t let your broccoli plants become too dry between waterings.
• Diseases & Pests: Broccoli isn’t plagued by many diseases. The most common insect pests are aphids, cabbage worms, and slugs.
• Bolting: When growing broccoli in the spring, you’re in a race with the weather to keep your plants from going to seed. Hot soil is the culprit, so take steps to keep the soil cool for as long as possible. Mulch, regular water, and shade covers can prolong your broccoli season, and as the weather warms you should harvest more frequently to keep your plants from shifting into seed mode.

Broccoli Harvest and Use

• When to Harvest: When the main broccoli head is several inches in diameter, your broccoli is ready to harvest. The heads should be green, compact, and firm. If your broccoli plant produces side shoots, those florets may be smaller (but just as yummy). If left unharvested, broccoli heads will loosen and open into yellow flowers – if this happens, it’s too late.
• How to Harvest: Using a sharp knife, cut the main stalk of the broccoli at an angle, several inches below the flower head. Continue caring for the broccoli plant – it will likely begin producing side shoots and more broccoli!
• Storage: Fresh, dry broccoli will last in the fridge about 5 days in a non-airtight container. Wash broccoli immediately before use.
• Freezing: Broccoli freezes well. Cut the florets into pieces, then blanch the fresh broccoli by submerging it in boiling water for one minute, then plunging it into ice water to cool. Drain and dry, and pack the broccoli into airtight plastic bags.

Further Information

• Broccoli – Watch Your Garden Grow (University of Illinois)
• Bolting Broccoli: Growing Broccoli in Hot Weather (Gardening Know How)
• Vegetable Garden: Growing Cool-Season Vegetables

I’m planting my first vegetable garden this summer, and I’m wondering what size it should be?

One of the hardest decisions about vegetable gardening is deciding what size garden to plant. If it’s too small, you may be disappointed in the yield; but if it’s too big, you’ll be overwhelmed with work, and your neighbors will dread seeing you coming with more bags of squash! Here are some tips for planning the garden that’s right for you.

The Right Garden for the Right Purpose

Deciding how big a vegetable garden to plant really depends on how many people you’re feeding and whether you’re planning for summer meals or year-round food storage. Crop yields vary widely, as do opinions about how much produce is needed to feed the average family.

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Here are some general vegetable garden guidelines based on a layout of traditional garden rows and following the spacing recommendations for each plant:

• Beginners: If you’re new to vegetable gardening, a 10’ x 10’ garden (100 square feet) is a great place to start. Pick 3-5 of your favorite veggies, and buy 3-5 plants of each one. This will give you a modest harvest for summer suppers, and it’ll be easy to manage.
• Intermediate: Once you’re comfortable with vegetable gardening, increase the size to 300-500 square feet. This should easily feed a family of four during the summer with a little extra left over to share. A general guideline for a summer vegetable garden is to plan on about 100 square feet per person.
• Advanced: If you’re more ambitious and want year-round groceries, plan on about 200 square feet per person. Freeze or can at least half of the harvest for winter use. For very large gardens, check out these vegetable yield charts from Virginia Cooperative Extension and Ed Hume Seeds.
• Small Spaces: If your space is limited, you can significantly increase your yield per square foot by using alternative layout techniques such as square foot gardening.

I put fertilizer on my lawn, and a few days later I had patches of dead grass! Will I have to replant, or will the grass come back? –Roger

Over fertilizing is one of the quickest ways to kill your lawn. From general discoloration to those telltale stripes from overlapping spreader rows, excessive or careless fertilizing can cause quite a bit of damage to lawn grasses.

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About Fertilizer Burn in Grass

Chemical fertilizers are made up of mineral salts. When you over fertilize, the salts build up in the soil and cause a drying effect, which can result in the grass turning yellow or brown and. This process is called “fertilizer burn.”

Fertilizer burn isn’t always fatal, and it’s hard to predict whether or not your lawn will recover. It depends on the amount and type of fertilizer that was applied, the moisture available, and the overall health of the grass. A slightly yellow lawn is likely to recover, while crispy brown grass may not. Recovery of your lawn also depends on how quickly you intervene.

How To Treat Fertilizer Burn in Grass

If you have applied too much fertilizer to your lawn:

• Remove Fertilizer: If you’ve spilled granular fertilizer or can see it on the ground, grab a broom or wet/dry vac and get up as much as you can before it dissolves into the lawn.
• Apply Water: As soon as you notice a problem with fertilizer burn, drag out the sprinklers! Water helps to dilute and flush the mineral salts away from the roots of your lawn. On the first day, water until the ground can’t soak in any more. Then water every day for about the next week. Water in the morning to reduce the risk of fungal diseases.
• Wait and See: At this point, there’s nothing you can do except wait and see if your lawn will recover from fertilizer burn. Unless it’s early spring with plenty of planting time left, I’d wait until the next planting season rolls around (fall for cool-season grasses, spring for warm-season grasses) before replanting. Then overseed thin spots, and sow seed or sod in large dead areas. In the future, be sure to fertilize your lawn very carefully!

How To Prevent Fertilizer Burn in Grass

To keep fertilizer burn from being a problem in your lawn, consider:

• Use Organic Fertilizer: Use organic fertilizers and well composted amendments. Organic fertilizers must be broken down by soil microbes according to nature’s timeline, which significantly reduces the chances of burning your lawn.
• Follow Fertilizer Instructions: Always apply fertilizer exactly according to package instructions. Different fertilizers come in different strengths, and it’s important not to over apply them to your lawn.
• Reduce Lawn Stress: If the grass in your lawn is in poor condition, fertilize it very lightly to ease it back to health. Resist the urge to feed heavily, since weak grass is easily burned by chemical fertilizers. Don’t fertilize lawns that are severely stressed by drought, heat, or disease – it won’t be absorbed and can cause further damage.

Further Information

• Fertilizer 101
• Fertilizer Application (video)
• How To Identify the Cause of Brown Spots In Your Lawn
• When and How to Fertilize Centipede Grass
• Applying ‘Weed and Feed’ Products to St. Augustine Grass
• How To Keep Dogs From Damaging Your Lawn
• The Debate Over Organic vs. Chemical Fertilizers
• How to Winterize the Grass in Your Lawn

If you live in a warm or coastal climate, you’ve likely experienced the invasion of dollarweed (also called pennywort) in your lawn or garden. Dollarweed is caused by excess moisture, and it thrives in areas of poor drainage, excess irrigation, poor soil, and thin turf. Here’s what you need to know to control dollar weed in your yard.

About Dollarweed

Dollarweed has small, round, shiny leaves that are shaped like coins. It’s often mistaken for dichondra, a weed with similar round leaves, but the difference is in the stem. Dollarweed’s stem comes directly out of the center of the leaf, while dichondra’s stem is attached at the edge of the leaf. As weeds go, dollarweed’s glossy leaves are actually rather pretty, and if you can keep it under control, dollarweed can serve as a groundcover in impossible areas.

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The main culprit in a dollarweed invasion of your lawn is too much water. Whether it’s caused by over-irrigating, too much rain, or poor soil drainage, thin turf in wet areas can quickly be taken over by this tough and hardy plant. Dollarweed spreads both by seeds and underground roots, making it very difficult to eliminate. Like many weeds, you may find that you’re managing dollarweed rather than eradicating it.

How To Control Dollarweed

If you have dollarweed in your yard, here are some tips on how to reclaim your turf:

• Improve Grass: The presence of weeds is a sign that your grass isn’t healthy, and thick turf is by far your best defense. Take steps to identify why your grass is weak, and focus on getting your lawn healthy. Treat any diseases, insect infestations, soil problems, and maintain proper mowing height.



• Reduce Irrigation: Use a rain gauge to make sure your lawn is receiving one inch of water per week. If it’s getting a lot more than that, reduce irrigation to keep your lawn from becoming soggy which can discourage your grass and encourage dollarweed.
• Improve Drainage: Take steps to improve the drainage in your lawn to reduce the moist conditions that attract dollarweed. It may be as simple as aerating and top-dressing your lawn to improve the soil. Or it may require a more costly solution, such as an underground drainage system.
• Remove Weeds: Hand pull dollarweed whenever you can, and be sure to get all the roots.
• Herbicides: If all else fails, you may need to apply a broadleaf herbicide to help control dollarweed. Apply products while the weeds are actively growing. Choose an herbicide rated both for dollarweed and your grass type. Dollarweed is a common invader of warm-season lawns, which can be sensitive to generic herbicides. Some success with dollarweed has been reported with Atrizine (which requires professional application), Image (Imazaquin) and 2,4-D, although all of these products pose health hazards. You can also paint a full-spectrum herbicide (such as Roundup) directly on the leaves of dollarweed.
• Organic Solutions: Natural, organic products, such as vinegar, may also work on dollarweed if repeatedly applied.

Further Information

• Dollarweed/Pennywort (weedalert.com)
• Dollarweed (Clemson Extension)
• How to Control Weeds in Your Lawn
• How to Have a Weed Free Lawn

Rainfall is scarce in July, and soaring temperatures can cause your garden and lawn to slow down and conserve energy. Vegetable gardens kick into high gear and will need some extra attention to stay happy. Other plants in your garden can benefit from special treatment as well. Here are some tips for your lawn and garden during the month of July.

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Trees and Shrubs

• Prune dead, damaged, or diseased branches to prevent them from falling during summer storms.
• Remove suckers by yanking downward to remove the growth bud.
• Prune spring flowering shrubs early in the month, then leave them alone to set buds for next year. Summer and fall flowering shrubs should not be pruned unless badly overgrown while nonblooming hedges can be trimmed as needed.
• Deadhead roses and other flowering shrubs so they will continue blooming.
• Plants suffering from iron deficiency will benefit from an application of chelated iron.
• Stop fertilizing trees and shrubs to allow them to reduce growth during the heat of summer.
• Continue planting and transplanting container-grown trees and shrubs, but give them extra water and shade protection, if possible.
• Apply extra mulch around the roots of trees and shrubs to hold in moisture.
• Avoid digging or cultivating around shallow-rooted plants or otherwise disturbing the roots.
• Take softwood cuttings of shrubs such as hydrangea, buddleia, rose, and Rose of Sharon.
• Water trees infrequently, but deeply.

Perennials and Bulbs

• For fall blooms, shear back chrysanthemums and asters until mid month at the latest.
• Give a light haircut to bushy or leggy perennials to encourage blooming.
• Stop deadheading perennials if you want to collect seed pods from them.
• Areas with longer summers have time for one more planting of gladiolus.
• Support vines and tall plants with trellises or stakes.
• Cut flowers in the early morning when the stems are plump.
• Order your spring blooming bulbs now for the best selection.
• Divide and transplant Oriental poppies this month.

Annuals and Containers

• Water container plants daily (or even twice a day) this month.
• Add a balanced fertilizer every couple of weeks.
• Deadhead faded blossoms to increase blooming.
• Pinch back leggy stems to encourage branching.
• Start seeds for pansies and other winter annuals.

Lawns

• Continue mowing as needed, at the highest setting for your lawn type (3”- 4” for cool-season grasses, 2”- 3” for warm-season grasses).
• Make sure your lawn gets at least one inch of water per week.
• If water is scarce, consider allowing cool-season fescue or bluegrass to go dormant for the summer.
• Mulch grass clippings to help shade, cool, and feed your lawn.
• Edge planting beds with a string trimmer or lawn edger, for a nice clean look.
• Plant warm-season grasses and keep watered.
• Stop fertilizing lawns in midsummer.
• Make sure lawn mower blades are sharp, so they cut cleanly.
• Check out our Summer Lawn Care Guide for more tips.

Vegetables and Herbs

• Remove garlic scapes (flower heads) to encourage bulb growth.
• Order garlic bulbs for fall planting.
• Add compost or organic fertilizer to vegetable gardens.
• Harvest veggies. Give away any produce you can’t use, and remove plants that have finished producing.
• Continue weeding, watering, and removing insects.
• Start seeds for cool-season fall vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and spinach.
• Give herbs a haircut, and use the cuttings.
• For maximum flavor, harvest herbs just as the flower buds appear. Shear back annual herbs (such as basil) to encourage a second harvest.
• Mulch sprawling plants to keep vegetables off the ground.
• Harvest berries before birds and squirrels eat them.
• Remove and discard fallen fruits and vegetables.
• Harvest corn when the tassels turn brown and the kernels are full and milky.
• Harvest melons when they slip easily from the vine.
• Give tomatoes extra water, and perhaps a little shade, when temperatures are over 90° F.

Houseplants

• Put houseplants outdoors in the shade for the summer.
• Water houseplants regularly.
• Feed houseplants every couple of weeks with a balanced organic fertilizer.
• Repot pot-bound houseplants.

Cleanup and Maintenance

• Attack poison ivy in your yard the moment you spot it!
• Work outdoors in the cool of the morning and stay hydrated.
• Add extra mulch to keep plant roots cool and moist.
• Stay on top of weeds by first pulling any that are blooming, before they set seeds.
• Start a compost pile, or turn your existing one. Sprinkle it with water to keep it moist.
• Clean the filter in water features, and add extra aeration to fish ponds in high temperatures.
• Refresh the water in fountains and birdbaths.
• Clean and refill hummingbird feeders every few days.
• Change suet bird feeders regularly, since it’s more likely to go rancid in the heat.
• Reduce fertilizing, and don’t put fertilizer on dry soil. Use water-soluble fertilizers or compost instead of granules.
• Make sure your lawn and garden receives an inch of water per week. Water deeply, at the root zone, and avoid spraying the foliage.
• Use rain barrels to collect and reuse valuable rainwater for your lawn and garden.
• Remove Japanese beetles and other pests when you see them.
• Begin ordering bulbs and seeds for fall planting.
• Provide a shallow pan of clean water for birds and butterflies.
• Take cuttings of annuals, perennials, and herbs for rooting or drying indoors.

Further Information

• Hardiness and Heat Tolerance – Understanding Your Zone
• Vegetable Garden: Growing Warm-Season Vegetables
• Summer Lawn Care Guide
• Lawn Mower Maintenance