July is the time of red, white, and bloom, so take time to deadhead, fertilize, and water your summer annuals and perennials to keep them in flower. Many potted plants, as well as bloomers such as roses and hydrangeas, run low on nutrients during this month. Plants will stop producing flowers if they do not have the potassium and phosphorus they need.

Gardening Advice

A growing root system can fill up a container, so you will need to water more often, especially on warm days, and fertilize only after watering. Adding fertilizer to dry soil can burn a plant. Fertilizer burn can show up as brown tips on the leaf margins or a scorched-looking plant. First aid steps include dousing the overfed plant with water and moving it into the shade if possible.

For those looking to add more summer colors using flowers that can take the heat, consider members of the salvia family, such as red and white ‘Hot Lips’ salvia and deep blue ‘Amistad’ salvia. Geraniums, lantana, zinnias, and marigolds are annuals that thrive in hot spots.

Lawncare Tips

If you are leaving for a three-week vacation and your lawn is already turning brown in the summer heat, do not worry. The good news is that it could rain while you are gone. The bad news is that summer rain is rarely enough to keep the lawn green. But the other good news is that even if you return to a crispy brown lawn, the grass is not dead. Call it ‘golden’ instead of brown and wait for the autumn rains to return, and your lawn will green up again.

Do not fertilize a lawn before leaving on vacation or during the heat of the summer. A high nitrogen fertilizer now requires more water to keep the lawn green.

Original reporting: Renton Reporter — read the source article.