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Zone 1
Reap herbs for maximum flavor by harvesting them as the first flower buds appear
Lanky annuals need your help! Pinch them back now to encourage bushy growth and more flowers.
Don't forget watering chores: potted plants, especially, dry out quickly in warm weather
Set out warm season vegetables and annuals
Harvest veggies as soon as they're ripe to encourage further production
Avoid weed-infested gardens: weed before you leave on vacation
Mulching around trees prevents mower damage and weed whacker blight
The best time to cut flowers for vases? Early in the day when stems are firm and water filled.
Maintain a thick layer (3 to 4 inches) of mulch on flower and vegetable gardens. It conserves moisture, reduces weeds, and adds organic matter to the soil.
Deadhead the faded roses you haven't cut by taking off the spent flower stems down to a five-leaflet leaf
Zone 2
Create your own gardener's gold! Start a compost pile.
Now that temperatures have warmed, plant summer-flowering bulbs and tubers
Sow biennial seeds (hollyhocks, English daisies, foxgloves, violas, Canterbury bells, and sweet William) for flowers next year
Tall flowers, such as lupines and foxgloves, need staked support against the wind
To maintain freshness, cool fruits and veggies (except tomatoes) as quickly as possible after harvest
Relax -- there's no need to fertilize the lawn in midsummer
Harvest veggies regularly; avoid rotting produce that attracts insects and reduces yields
Cut stems of annual herbs just above a pair of leaves, allowing 4 to 6 inches of plant to remain for regrowth and additional harvest
Leave the larvae on dill and carrots for beautiful fall butterflies
Note the native plants in bloom this month and include them in your own wildflower garden
Zone 3
Now's the time to start seeds of cool-season vegetables for fall growing
Rogue out (remove) virus-infected plants from the garden and control leaf-hopping insects to prevent virus spread
By pruning off faded blooms from annuals, you can prevent seed formation and coax additional flowers
Mulch flowerbeds with dried grass clipping or compost to maintain moisture and reduce weeds
Save maintenance and water by allowing perennial rye and Kentucky blue grass lawns to go dormant during the summer
Raspberries are ripe when they pull readily from the central core
Prune water sprouts (upright, vigorous shoots) from apple trees
Avoid deep cultivation around shallow rooted trees and shrubs such as evergreens
Add a water-soluble fertilizer to hanging baskets and patio pots every 2 weeks to keep plants blooming their best
Cut flowers for drying at their prime or when just opening
Zone 4
Add one last planting of gladioli bulbs for flowers into fall
Harvest veggies as soon as they're ripe to encourage further production
Avoid the sight of a weed-infested garden: weed first before you leave on vacation
Harvest sweet corn when silks are brown and punctured kernels produce a milky juice
Prevent blossom-end rot on tomatoes by providing plants with at least an inch of water each week
Let melons ripen on the vine--this is where they will develop their best flavor
Start fall garden transplants from seed
Petunias, coleus and other summer annuals might be leggy by now. Pinch them back just above a leaf to encourage bushy growth and more flowers
Leave faded flowers on those plants that form ornamental seed heads, pods, or berries
Provide water in a shallow pan or birdbath for your feathered and fluttering friends
Zone 5
Remove annuals with stunted or unusual color; these are usually virus infected and the disease can spread to neighboring healthy plants
To control disease on fruit trees, maintain a summer spray schedule
Clean hummingbird feeders filled with nectar solution regularly to ward off mold and bacteria
Consider drip irrigation and/or soaker hoses for watering in the flowerbed and vegetable garden
Bats help control mosquitoes; attract these friendly mammals with bat houses
Muskmelons and cantaloupes are ready for picking when the stem "slips" easily from the fruit with gentle pressure
Harvest veggies as soon as they're ripe to encourage additional production
Sharp mower blades prevent leaf blade damage and lawn stress
Prevent diseases on susceptible rose varieties: apply fungicide every 7-10 days
Lanky annuals need your help! Pinch them back now to encourage bushy growth and more flowers
Zone 6
Deadhead blooming annuals and perennials for repeat flowering
Harvest veggies immediately when ripe; rotting produce attracts insects
Avoid weed-infested gardens: weed before you leave on vacation
Water hanging baskets and patio pots daily during warm weather
Fertilize annual flowerbeds with an all-purpose fertilizer to encourage more blooms
Harvest lavender stems for use in bath sachets or drying
Sharp shears make quick work of herb and flower harvests
Mow cool season grasses at 3 inches during the summer to shade and insulate the soil
Enjoy a glass of tea flavored with mint, pineapple sage, or lemon balm from the garden
Provide birds and butterflies with a shallow water source
Zone 7
Remove faded flowers from perennials after they finish blooming. Deadheading redirects energy towards healthy roots.
Maintain a 3 to 4 inch mulch layer around trees and shrubs to protect them from mower and weed whacker damage.
Check plants regularly for insect problems; hand pick or use suitable control measures if found
Fertilize warm-season grasses
Plant butterfly nectar and larval food plants such as asclepias, buddleia, and passionflower
Replace spent annuals with heat-tolerant lantana, verbena, pentas, and hibiscus
Consider drip irrigation and/or soaker hoses as efficient watering alternatives
Harvest raspberries and blackberries daily to avoid attracting insects to overripe fruit
Prune water sprouts from apple trees
Water flowerbeds and vegetable gardens deeply. This encourages a deep root system
Zone 8
Start basil seedlings for a fall herb garden
Mow warm-season grasses at a height of 2.5 to 3 inches; apply at least an inch of water a week
Prevent rose diseases with a fungicide spray program
For longest vase life, harvest cut flowers just as they begin to open and condition them in floral preservative
Fertilize container plants every two weeks with a water-soluble fertilizer solution for best bloom
Keep annuals in bloom by removing faded flowers
Bats help control mosquitoes; attract these friendly mammals with bat houses
Help trees survive the heat by mulching heavily over the root system--avoid mulch too close to the trunk
Water your garden more efficiently with drip irrigation or soaker hoses
Save space in the garden with trellises, fences, and stakes-harvest is easier too
Zone 9
Cultivate your own tropical paradise going by planting palms, bananas, and fruit trees
Start tomato transplants for your fall vegetable garden
A sunny yellow garden of cosmos, sunflowers, and zinnias brightens up the summer landscape
Mow warm-season grasses at a height of 2.5 to 3 inches; apply at least an inch of water weekly
Inspect plants for possible insect pest problems
Attract butterflies to the garden by providing caterpillar food plants like carrots, dill, and parsley
Beat the heat with durable annuals like zinnia, sunflower, and celosia
Hibiscus makes a great addition to hanging baskets, patio pots, or flowerbeds
Clean hummingbird feeders regularly to prevent mold and bacteria growth
Get the most from garden space by installing trellises and stakes for plants to grow up on--harvest is easier too
Zone 10
Start tomato seedlings for your fall garden; consider container varieties for your patio
Remove dying foliage regularly from water garden to maintain a healthy pond pH
Water gardens and yards early in the morning before the wind comes up; apply at least an inch of water weekly
Remove grass from around trees and shrubs and replace with moisture-conserving mulch
To build up delicious nutmeats, thoroughly water nut trees
A mixture of flower colors, sizes and bloom times provides butterfly nectar throughout the season
Plant a variety of basil flavors for a fall herb garden
Check the filter in your water garden for clogs
Install drip irrigation in the vegetable garden and flowerbeds to water more efficiently
Plant morning glory vines to provide nectar for hummingbirds
Zone 11
Gasping fish at the water garden's surface need additional oxygen from cleaner water
Inspect plants regularly for potential pest problems
Fertilize container plants every 2 weeks with a water-soluble fertilizer for best bloom
A mixture of flower colors, sizes, and bloom times will attract butterflies throughout the season
Remove grass from the area directly around trees and shrubs and replace with moisture conserving mulch
Keep an eye on the water garden during hot spells and provide additional aeration and/or mist the water to help cool it
Hummingbirds love shrimp plants, four o'clocks, and morning glories; include these in your garden and you're sure to have regular visitors
Water gardens and yards early in the morning before wind levels increase
The best time to cut flowers for vases? Early in the day when stems are firm and water filled.
Lawns should be cut at 2 1/2 to 3 inches; mow frequently enough to remove only 1/3 of the leaf surface at any one time
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