ALERT…A lot of Oklahoma trees are suffocating. A lot of Oklahoma trees are being attacked by bugs. A lot of Oklahoma trees are stressed and are in decline. Have you seen any of these trees? 5 tips on mulching your tree
HMMMMM, how could this be good for your tree?
Enjoy working in your yard this month!The following is your Oklahoma Red Dirt Gardening Calendar for July.
3 Easy Steps To Prepare An Oklahoma Lawn Or Oklahoma Garden For Vacation Time
Plant
Color for fall such as asters, cosmos, marigolds, morning glory, ornamental grasses, zinnias.
Establishment of warm season lawns should be completed by the end of this month to ensure the least amount of plant damage caused by winter kill.
Fertilize
Roses to encourage fall blooms.
Planting beds that were not fertilized in June.
Bermuda lawns for the 4th out of 5 consecutive applications. Oklahoma Annual Fertilization Schedule Be sure enough moisture is present during Oklahoma’s summer heat and drying winds.
Don’t know how much to put down try this calculator. Oklahoma Lawn Fertilization Calculator
Greensand can be used around all nitrogen deficient plants as can Ironite which may be easier to find in Oklahoma. Nitrogen deficiency is easy to detect. Notice on the picture below the pale leaves with dark green veins.
Prune
Dead and damaged limbs should be removed so not to promote disease and further damage…do not make flush cuts. See article on Pruning
Remove all spent blooms on flowering plants to encourage new blooms and prevent disease
Mow
Remember, Bermuda grass stores moisture in its leaves, so do not mow off more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at any one time. Use a mulching blade on you mower instead of catching the clippings. This will return some of the nitrogen to the soil. If you must catch, then compost the clippings.
Rise your mower this month to 2 inches for Bermuda grass and 3 inches for Fescue.
Water
Water all lawns and beds during Oklahoma’s century days and hot winds. Water to a depth of 6 inches. It is less expense to water fewer times and deeply than it is to water many times a week for only a few minutes. Do not water in the evenings as this will promote a number of diseases and funguses. Best time to water is early in the morning.
Do not forget to put out fresh water for the birds!
“The Original” Red Dirt Gardener