Gardening This Weekend July 23, 2026
Here is my shortened list of gardening responsibilities for this hottest part of our calendar year.
PLANT
• Crape myrtles now because you have the best selection at area nurseries. Buy types that fit the space you have available for them. Protect them from highway winds on the way home. Plant them immediately. Water them deeply by hand every day until late September.
• New turfgrass soon so it can become established before fall. Water morning and evening, 5-10 minutes per time until it starts growing, then gradually cut back.
• Fall vegetable plantings will reach peak a week from now so get soil ready as your evening time and energy allow.
PRUNE
• Oaks can be pruned now with less concern about the spread of oak wilt. Seal all cuts with pruning sealant or latex paint.
• Deadhead perennial beds to keep landscape tidy.
• Trim uneven growth off groundcovers.
• Mow grass at recommended height for type that you have. Allowing it to grow tall weakens the grass – it does not improve summer hardiness.
FERTILIZE
• Patio pots and hanging baskets every second or third time you water them to replenish nutrients leached out of their porous potting soil by the frequent irrigation in all the heat. If you haven’t used timed-release pellets as a supplement, this would be a good time to do so.
• New transplants with a high-phosphorus, liquid root stimulator to give them a good start.
• Iron/sulfur product to correct chlorosis (iron deficiency that causes yellowed leaves with dark green veins most prominently on the new growth). Keep all iron products off masonry and painted surfaces to avoid staining.
ON THE LOOKOUT
• Chinch bugs in St. Augustine. They love the heat. Watch for them in the hottest, sunniest parts of your lawn. Treat immediately with a labeled insecticide to save your lawn. See related story in last week’s e-gardens.
• Lace bugs turning leaves of many types of plants tan. You’ll see specks of black excrement on backs of leaves even if you can’t find the adult insects themselves. Systemic insecticidal sprays are effective. Affected plants include loropetalums (fringeflowers), azaleas, Boston ivy, pyracanthas, cotoneasters, bur oaks, chinquapin oaks, and sycamores, among many others.
• New plantings for signs of dry plants. Their roots will dry out more quickly than surrounding soil. Water by hand every 2 days until late September. Use a water wand with a water bubbler or breaker.