July in Orlando brings soaring temperatures, high humidity, and daily afternoon rain showers. While the heat can be tough on both gardeners and plants, this is still an important month for maintaining your landscape and preparing for continued summer growth. A little extra care now will keep your garden healthy, colorful, and productive through the rest of the season.

Flower Gardens

• Keep spent blooms trimmed from annual flowers such as vinca, pentas, zinnias, and angelonia. Regular deadheading encourages more flowers and helps plants stay neat throughout the summer.
• Lightly prune fast-growing shrubs after they finish blooming, but avoid heavy pruning of plants that will set fall or winter flower buds.
• Watch for weeds after heavy rains. They grow quickly in Florida’s warm, wet weather, so pulling them while they’re small saves time later and prevents them from going to seed.
• Crepe myrtles are in full bloom this month. Removing spent flower clusters can encourage a second round of blooms on many varieties.
• Refresh mulch around flower beds to help conserve moisture, reduce weeds, and keep soil temperatures cooler during extreme heat.
• If you’re traveling this summer, make sure someone familiar with Florida landscapes checks on your garden. Summer rain isn’t always enough, and container plants or hanging baskets may still need regular watering.

Vegetable Gardens

• Many spring vegetables are winding down, but summer crops like okra, southern peas, sweet potatoes, peppers, and eggplant continue to thrive in Central Florida’s heat.
• Add compost around vegetable plants to replenish nutrients that heavy summer rains can wash away.
• Harvest herbs like basil, oregano, and mint frequently, and pinch off flower buds to encourage fresh leaf growth. Extra herbs can easily be frozen for later use.
• Remove finished vegetable plants promptly to improve airflow and reduce pest and disease problems. Consider planting a summer cover crop or preparing beds for fall vegetable planting later in the season.
• Check fruit trees regularly and remove any fallen fruit to discourage insects, rodents, and fungal diseases.
• Monitor your garden for common Florida pests such as caterpillars, aphids, whiteflies, stink bugs, and spider mites. Catching infestations early makes them much easier to manage.

Keep Your Garden—and Yourself—Healthy

The best time to work outside is early in the morning before temperatures climb or in the evening after the sun begins to set. Stay hydrated, wear lightweight clothing, apply sunscreen, and take frequent breaks when working in the heat.

With consistent watering, regular maintenance, and a little attention each week, your Orlando garden can stay vibrant all summer long and be ready for a productive fall growing season.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

Google+ Comments