Summer is here. With some insights from the experts at the extension services at Oregon State University as well as Washington State University, we have some tips to help you maintain your yard and garden amid the hot days to come.
Fertilize, Weed, and Feed Your Lawn
Summer temperature hikes mean more insects. Many of those bugs are coming from your lawn. To keep them under control, add a fertilizer that also repels and kills insects. Additionally, keep your lawn looking great by pulling weeds as they appear. Or use a weed control spray that targets weeds and not lawns. To help discourage new weeds, work toward deeper root growth with specific watering.Thin the Apple Trees
By thinning the apples on your apple trees, you’ll get bigger fruit and a better harvest next year. For best results, wait until the June drop, or whenever you notice some of the smaller apples falling from the tree.First, remove all but one apple in each cluster of small apples. Throw the bad apples into your bucket. You want to keep the healthiest, less damaged, and largest of the apples in each cluster. If you need to decide between two of equal size and quality, pick the one that will get the most sun. Next, make sure the branch has no more than 1 apple every 6 inches.
Turn Your Strawberries into Freezer Jam
To fill two 8-ounce half-pint jars, you’ll need 1 2/3 cups prepared fruit, 2/3 cups granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons Ball®RealFruit Freezer Pectin. To begin, cut the stems off the strawberries. Then, use a potato masher or anything handy to crush your strawberries. Mix 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons Ball® RealFruit Freezer Pectin. Pour in the prepared strawberries. Stir for 3 minutes. (Do the full 3 minutes or the mixture won’t set up and you’ll be left with a runny mess.) Finally, ladle or funnel your jam into clean freezer jars and let them stand for 30 minutes before adding your lids. When filling your jars, leave a half-inch of space at the top of the jar to allow for expansion when in the freezer.
Trellis and Prune Tomatoes
As they grow, help your plants produce better tomatoes by pruning suckers or extra branches. To do so, locate a fruiting branch. These are smaller than other leafing branches. Then, remove nearby excess branches that are growing off a larger leafing branch. You’ll end up with single, leafing branches and fruiting branches that have room for tomatoes.Fertilize Your Corn
To encourage optimal growth, add nitrogen between your rows of corn. This is also called side-dressing. It’s relatively easy to do with a time-release fertilizer sprinkled on the ground. Be sure the fertilizer does not come in contact with the corn stalks. If rain isn’t in the forecast for a few days, give your corn a healthy dose of water.Coastal is Your Yard, Garden, and Country Life Headquarters
You’ll find everything your country needs at Coastal, including helpful advice. Stop by today and chat with our experts about your yard and garden. They’ll have plenty of tips to help you get the most from your yard and the summer months ahead.