WEEK 1
Prune hydrangeas
Prune bigleaf hydrangeas now, if they are too big. Even though you’ll lose a few current pink or blue blooms, you won’t have any next year if you wait until after late August to prune.
Composted horse manure is an excellent mulch and soil amendment. Find free sources of manure on the Web at xrl.us/freemanure.
WEEK 2
Water sod properly
Laying sod in dry weather is a chancy proposition. Get details on how to water correctly at xrl.us/watersod.
Huge, yellow, hornet-looking creatures buzzing over your lawn are not to be feared. They are male cicada killer wasps, which cannot sting. The females are up in nearby trees, looking for cicada prey.
WEEK 3
Dig up blackberries
Blackberries are famous for prolific root sprouts they send up near the original plant. You can dig them up and put them in a row or give them away to friends.
Raise the height of your mower one notch (or 1/2 inch). This is a good idea for any lawn grass because it helps shade the soil on dry sunny days.
WEEK 4
Check leaves of roses
Examine roses for concentric yellow patterns on leaves. It could be a virus. Planthoppers, thrips and aphids are the main vectors of viruses.
Brown beetles around a porch light are Southern masked chafers. If they bother you, place a glue board near the light and discard it when it gets full of beetles.
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