Ten Tips for the July Gardener

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• Container and hanging plants may need to be watered in the morning and again later in the day if hot and windy conditions prevail. Check plants again at day’s end to see if the soil is dry.
• Hummingbirds are attracted to red salvia, coral bells and bee balm.
• Check out the UConn Extension Bug Week for events, activities, and programs.
• Tomato hornworms are large green caterpillars that feed on the leaves of tomatoes and related plants. Hand-pick or control with Bacillus thuringiensis. Do not remove caterpillars that are covered in white pupae as they have been parasitized by beneficial wasps.
• Check brassicas for cabbageworm, diamond-back moth caterpillars, cross-striped caterpillars, and cabbage loopers. Use row covers or Bacillus thuringiensis to control them.
• Pick up, bag, and trash (do not compost) any dropped apples that show signs of apple maggot.
• Check roses, Mugo pine, hibiscus, and dogwood for sawfly larvae. Insecticidal soap, Horticultural oil, and pyrethrins are among the low-toxicity insecticides recommended for control.
• Apply grub control no later than July 15th so that it is systemically in place in grass roots when the grubs hatch in early August.
• Check family members and pets for ticks after being outside, especially when in tall grass or wooded areas.
• Leaky garden hoses and fittings can waste water. Check hoses while they are under full pressure and make repairs

Article by UConn Home & Garden Education Center