Garden Tips

Now is a good time to prune grape vines and blueberry bushes.
Dark soils absorb more heat than light soils, and fertile soils stay warm longer.
Sow snow peas about an inch deep as soon as the soil reaches 45 degrees.
Pull weeds in bulb beds carefully to avoid disturbing bulbs.
Maintain red twig dogwood color and form by removing 1/3 of the oldest stems each year.
For blue hydrangeas, lower the soil ph with an acidifier, as needed. For pink hydrangeas add lime.

Use salt marsh hay to suppress weeds in the vegetable garden.
Harvest snow peas while pods are still flat & sugar snap peas when the pods are plump.
When pruning a hedge leave the bottom wider than the top.
Use a magnifying glass to examine roses for spider mites.
Excessive soil moisture may cause yellowing of leaves and poor growth or death to a plant.
New plantings under trees need extra water to complete with the tree roots.
Pinch back petunias during hot weather to keep them bushy and in flower.

Fall is the best time to control broadleaf lawn weeds.
Spruce spider mites population may build again in September.
Be mindful of wasps when working around rock piles, stone walls, and old tree stumps.
To reduce insect and disease problems keep houseplants clean and neat.
Cut back leggy annuals to encourage a new flush of growth.
Divide perennials when plants start to have smaller blooms.
Remove some of the larger leaves on summer squash if fruit rot occurs.