Water your lawn in the early morning. Turf will have time to dry off before night, preventing disease.
Move it Up and Keep It Sharp. Raise the mower blade up a notch and sharpen the blade. Taller grass can withstand dry weather and a grass blade with a clean cut needs less water.
In the Garden:
Change out tired cool season annual flowers with heat-loving, summer annuals like dianthus, marigolds, portulaca and vinca.
Prune and feed azaleas and camellias once blooming has finished. An organic fertilizer like E.B. Stone Camellia and Azalea Food is best.
Busting at the seams? It’s time to divide and repot cymbidium orchids. Feed with a “growth formula” food such as Grow More Orchid 20-20-20 (Yellow) every two to four weeks.
Sow your seeds of heat-loving annuals such as corepsis, lobelia, sunflower and zinnia.
Go Crazy with Veggies. Now is the time to plant all summer vegetables including pumpkin, eggplant, peppers, watermelon and more.
Prune to shape all winter-flowering shrubs and vines, such as New Zealand tea tree, Geraldton waxflowers, Carolina jessamin and hardenbergia now.
Water-Wise, Weed-Free Gardening. Mulch all garden beds well to help regulate soil temperature, retain moisture, and help keep weeds at bay. Use Concern Pre-emergent Weed Preventer.
Shield Yourself from the Sun. Make sure to wear a wide-brimmed hat and apply sunscreen when playing in the dirt.