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July tips for a beautiful
Water Wise landscape
By Winola VanArtsdalen
Summer is here! July requires close to a depth of 8 to 10 inches. This Winola is a Williamson County
attention to efficient, wise watering technique may take several hours for Master Gardener, a member of
techniques. Do not be tempted to go large trees. One technique for bushes or the Sun City Garden Club and a
around giving every plant a quick smaller trees is to circle a soaker hose member of the Sun City Water Wise
drink. The key to plant survival is deep at the dripline or just inside and leave it Task Force.
watering! there. You can then just disconnect and
reconnect a water hose to a soaker hose Master Gardeners and other
Keeping a check on your irrigation circle to water. New plantings need this experienced gardeners are available
system becomes even more important twice weekly. to answer questions a half hour
now. Run each station and check that before Sun City Garden Club
sprinkler heads are operating properly Group container plantings together to meetings each month. The Garden
and not wasting water by going into make it easier to water them. Finding Club meets the second Wednesday
the street or other such areas, and that a location for them in some shade, of each month beginning with
there are no leaks or broken heads. especially in afternoon shade, will the question/answer period at
Avoid runoff by watering for short cycles. be less stressful to plants. If certain 12:30 p.m.
If you are out of town, give access to pots wilt quickly, try repotting in a
your system to someone to correct any larger container, as wilting quickly is regularly. Shorten any overlong shoots
problems should they occur. a symptom of a plant being root bound. from larger plants like Jerusalem Sage.
Be sure everything has ample mulch, • After flowering, thin out old wood from
Observe grass to see when water including container plants. Mulch keeps deciduous shrubs like mock orange and
is needed. If you see footsteps after moisture in the soil longer and reduces silver leaf germander. Shear geraniums
walking in grass or there is wilting and soil temperature. You can feel the heat to produce fresh foliage.
discoloration, grass is in stress and needs of bare soil and then reach under a good • Raise mower height in hot, dry weather
water. Usually 1 inch of water a week is mulch layer to feel soil that will be more to 3 inches. Keep blades sharp and
recommended, but plants suitable to moist and cooler. This is a valuable mow frequently to avoid cutting more
our area can survive on 1/2 inch in home science experience to share with than one-third of the leaf blade on any
times of drought. children. cutting. Brown mowing strips in your
turf is a sign too much of the leaf blade
You can use a screwdriver to know when For further information, visit: was cut.
water is needed in grass or beds. If you EarthKind.tamu.edu or http://agrilife.
cannot easily push a screwdriver into org/drought/your-lawn-garden/. Source: Texas A&M AgriLIFE Extension
ground 6-8 inches deep, it is time to Service
water. If you planted larger container To check the City of Georgetown
plants recently, remember that those watering schedule, visit water. Horticulture Questions:
roots go much deeper. With those plants, georgetown.org. Contact Williamson County AgriLIFE
a long screwdriver or moisture meter JUly GARDENING TIPS
will tell you how deeply the soil is moist. Extension Office at
• Look at other landscapes for plants you 512-943-3300
Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses where like that are surviving hot weather.
possible, especially around bushes and
shrubs that need help for deep roots. • Check to be sure all planting beds,
Water trees and large shrubs at their shrubs and trees are protected with
driplines, where the feeding root system mulch and that you are watering
of a tree or shrub is located. You can deeply.
lay a water hose that is slowly running
on the ground and move it around the • Avoid using fertilizer now, including
dripline as each area becomes saturated top dressing, which makes plants work
harder. Now it is time to rest.
• Remove spent blooms from plants
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