KATHY'S HOME & GARDEN TIPS – HOT SUMMER LAWN AND GARDEN
Water
your trees, use a root
waterer or just trickle the
hose. Always water at drip
line. This is a line around
the tree where the widest branches reach. Water at least one hour at
three positions around the perimeter. Even with the multiple inch
rain we had all around Chicago over the weekend only lasts for a
while. The lawn and garden needs an inch per week. The trees got a
good drink but with the dry and hot spell we had for the last month
they still need more water.
Try and
keep the garden as weed free as possible. I know how hard this is
with the weeds springing up over night. Use mulch,
this really helps and also feeds. Keep harvesting. Even if veggies
might not look quite ready, harvesting the first ones only encourages
more vegetables. Beans and peas benefit from quick cooking in the
microwave or a fast sauté with garlic.
Keep
an eye out for pests in the garden. Use vegetable
dust if you notice any bugs
or chewed up leaves. Read and follow all label directions. Most of
these can be used up to two days before harvest. Always make sure to
wash ALL vegetables and fruits
before eating. Even if you don’t
use pesticide there are other animals around pooping all over.
This is
also a good time to check around the house for anything that needs
painting. Scrape well, wash and let dry before applying paint.
Never
mow more than 1/3 of the length of the grass. So you guys that wait
till the grass gets a foot long and mows it down to two inches will
never have a healthy lawn. We mow about every fifth day. It really is
much easier to mow more often and also promotes a beautiful lawn.
Frequent mowing and weekly deep watering encourages deep root
development and a healthy lawn.
KATHLEEN
WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
