July To-Do List

• Sharpen mower blades to prevent grass from tearing and causing damage to the blades
• Mow high and mow less often since we usually don’t get as much rain this time of year
• Keep planting to a minimum this month unless you know you can water religiously
• Prune spring bulb foliage back
• Keep new plants moist with deep and infrequent watering
• Perennials that have been pruned must be kept moist
• Keep on top of weeding
• Watch out for plants that need to be staked
• Look for Japanese beetles and other insects. If using pesticides, be sure to read the labels.
• De-leaf early blooming plants to keep up their appearance
• Deadhead perennials to keep them blooming
• Apply mulch around plants to conserve water
• If you want beets, turnips, and cole crops such as brussels sprouts and broccoli plant them now
• Renovate strawberry beds after harvest
• Turn over the compost pile

 

 

 

Working in south Minneapolis trying to finish up the installation of a small fountain, we really needed a downspout angle piece to insure that rainwater would go to the side of the house and not into the fountain basin. I zipped over to Settergren Ace Hardware and of course they had one (in two colors).

Five minutes later I was back on-site only to find that we needed a yard stick or something similar so the client could easily test the water level in the cistern. Back to Settergren I went. “Do you sell yardsticks,” I asked. And was ushered to the paint section where they had a whole box of yardsticks printed with the Settergren logo and address. Back to job site I went and we successfully completed the project and handed it off to the client.

I can’t imagine how hard these little requrests would have been at a big box hardware store. And how long it would have taken to drive there, and walk through the vast store to get my items. A week later, we subcontracted a tree removal with Vineland Tree Care. The removal inadvertenly led to a crack in a storm window. Fortunately, the crew were able to remove the window, drive to Welna II Hardware on Franklin. They were able to replace the glass on the spot, allowing the guys to take the window back and re-install that same afternoon.

The local hardware stores in our service area are a true cultural gem. The owners and employees are authentically enthusiastic and helpful and have an incredible knowledge of what they have and don’t have. I have no idea how they cram all the things into these small stores.

The Japanese Beetle can be one of the most destructive garden pests, especially on roses, raspberries and linden trees. Late June to the end of July are the prime foliage eating times for the Japanese Beetle adults and one of our clients has spotted them in her garden already.

The Ohio State Extension Fact Sheet lists several options to control or minimize Japanese Beetle damage… these are the two that make the most sense:

Option 1: Cultural Control - Hand Picking

The first Japanese Beetles that arrive in your garden are often “scouts.” They chemically signal other Japanese Beetles to join them at the feast. By noticing when the first adults arrive on a property, you can pick off and destroy these scouts that attract additional pests. The adults are less active in the early morning or late evening. They can be destroyed by dropping into a container of soapy water.

Option 2: Insecticide

The adults can be controlled by spraying susceptible plants with insecticides. Over-the-counter pesticides available for this include: acephate (Orthene), carbaryl (Sevin), and several pyrethroids - bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, permethrin, and others. Applications of imidacloprid (=Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Concentrate) generally need to be made 20 days before anticipated Japanese beetle adult activity. During the heavy adult activity periods, sprays may be needed every 5 to 10 days.

A couple of important notes - there is no “Japanese Beetle” specific insecticide, so the insecticides will kill other insects in the process, some of which may be beneficial in your garden. Also, there is a Japanese Beetle look alike called the False Japanese Beetle. It is more greenish black in color and will not have the distinctive 5 hairy stripes on the side that the Japanese Beetle has.