• Transplant new chrysanthemum plants.
• Start a compost pile.
• Side dress rhubarb with well-rotted manure or humus from the compost pile.
• Plant seeds of early cabbage, ornamental kale, and broccoli in cell packs early in the month for transplanting in early August.
• Continue pulling weeds. Put them in the compost pile.
• Train staked tomatoes to one or two vines by removing all other branches as soon as they appear.
• Thoroughly water your newly planted trees and shrubs.
• As perennials finish blooming, cut off the blooms and fertilize the plants.
• Stake perennials as needed.
• Apply mulches around trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals to maintain soil moisture and an even soil temperature. Cover the soil 2 inches thick. Keep mulch away from the trunks of trees and shrubs.
• Prop branches of heavily loaded fruit trees.
• Renovate established strawberry plantings.
• Pinch established chrysanthemums to develop fuller and stockier plants early in the month.
• Harvest vegetables regularly for continued production.
• Remove spent flowers from annual flowers to keep them flowering.
• Divide clumps of crowded iris and Oriental poppies.
• Continue to mow the lawn at 2-1/2 inches.
• Water the lawn and garden deeply or don’t water at all.
• Mulch your roses.
• Stay cool!

Adapted from “Seeds of Hope… Harvest of Pride!” – Gardener’s Checklist, www.bright.net/~gardens/index.html