What To Do In Your Southern California Garden in July

June gloom seems to be hanging on just a little bit here in Santa Clarita, and as a Landscape Designer – I love to spend morning out in my garden or my client’s garden. Since it warms up rather quickly, I also like to take the opportunity to do some chores in the cool of the evening. Standing outside with a hose in my hand or my trusty Felco pruners always relaxes me.

Here are your gardening chores for this month – so print it out and paste the list on your fridge or, pull it up on your tablet or phone and save a tree or two.

1. Water - Remember at this time of the year the wind starts coming up, so water your garden early in the morning.

2. Mulch - Add mulch to your planter beds, if you have only a thin layer or it has disappeared.

3. Fruit and Nut Trees – make sure that you are adequately watering (but not over watering) so that you have richer tasting fruits and nuts. A regular watering schedule is important.

4. Check all your trees - Make sure you grass is not smack up against your tree – it’s not good for them – make some basins.

5. Tomato Plants – You can extend the length of time that you have tomatoes if you plant another set of shorter season varieties right about now. Try some Stupice, Patio, or Manitoba. You can refer to my blog post, How to extend your tomato harvest. Remember if you are growing in containers, look for varieties that have smaller fruit.

6. Herb Gardens - You can extend your herb garden well into the by starting some herb seedlings now. Try a variety of basils, oregano and marjoram. You might want to try the cilantro seeds a little later in the year they appreciate the cooler weather, or just add some seedlings!

7. Pond Maintenance – keep you pond clean by removing dying foliage on a regular basis this will help you maintain the proper pH of your pond.

8. All Water features – check the filters in your fountains, water, gardens etc. and make sure that they are clear of clogs and debris.

If you would like help beautifying your life, think about creating a garden with me. You can call me at 661-917-3521, contact me via email at julie@thegrassisalwaysgreener.net or visit my website.