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Lawn Attention Together With The Hot Aug

Lawns Need Attention in hot weather. Mower blades should be set at least 1-1/2 inches high but 2 inches is better. The grass shades the ground and protects the roots from hot sun and drying winds.

Summer Gardens call for special techniques. Mulching is a great labor and moisture saver. Apply a mulch of leaves (3 inches), pine straw (2 inches), peatmoss (1 inch) or vermiculite (1/2 to 1 inch) to shrubs, dahlias, roses and other widely-spaced plants.

Clip faded flowers off annuals, perennials, polyantha and climbing roses. This helps produce more blooms. Don't let your plants go to seed, unless you want them to do so. Let roses rest in Florida and coastal areas. This is their natural semi-dormant period. Spray and !dust but withhold water and feed only enough to keep the plants in good condition.

Shrubs Need Attention Remove dead wood and prune branches for shape. If you plan to move large shrubs this fall root-prune now, one side of the shrub at a time, at four to five-week intervals until all sides have been cut. Cut through the roots with a spade under the outer reaches of the branches. This produces a compact mass of fine roots easily lifted at moving time. If tops are large, prune back about a third at root-pruning time to balance tops and roots.

Hibiscus have long been a popular flowering shrub in Florida. Dozens of beautiful new hybrids are available, most in pots for immediate transplanting.

Lycoris Radiata red spider lily, bulbs planted now will bloom in September. Plant shallow, just enough to cover bulbs.

Vegetable Gardens are still going strong. For Middle and Upper South plant rutabaga and Irish potato. Also start purple top turnip, carrot, beet, broccoli and lettuce for fall. Collard and cabbage plants may be set out. In the Lower South plant bean, collard, cowpea, pepper, pumpkin, radish, rutabaga, New Zealand spinach, squash and turnip seed. Sweet potato plants and peppers may be set out.

Mildew on hardy phlox, zinnia, crape myrtle and roses dust or spray with sulfur.

Blackspot of roses spray with Neem Oil or recommended fungicide.

Leaf spot and rust use Neem Oil as spray or dust. Red spider on boxwood, dahlia, and other plants dust or spray with malathion or Neem oil.

White fly on gardenia, ligustrum, camellia and azalea spray with horticultural oil, Malathion or Neem Oil. Lacewing on azalea and pyracantha treat same as white fly.

Aphids spray with horticultural oil, Malathion or Neem Oil.