July Gardening To-Do's

No matter where you live, keep your plants watered well this month.

There's plenty to do in your garden this month, regardless of where you live. See below for your regional to-do checklist.

South

Try to get out in the backyard first thing in the morning, otherwise it's unbearable.

1. Fertilize acid-loving plants and others with an iron deficiency, like azaleas, gardenias, blueberries and camellias.
2. When plants get leggy, cut them back by one-third to encourage new growth
3. Don't fertilize roses this month.
4. Keep new plantings well-watered.
5. Keep deadheading.

Northeast

1. Continue to plant trees, shrubs, perennial herbs and flowers. Improve your chances by planting on an overcast day.
2. Keep deadheading.
3. Keep harvesting your veggies, cleaning your garden as you go.
4. Keep plants well-watered—deeply to encourage root healthy root growth.
5. Keep pinching suckers off of tomatoes. Remove them at the crotch of the stem, so they can't produce new plants.
6. Mow often, but leave it 3 inches tall to encourage root growth.
7. Take advantage of a good rain by weeding afterwards.
8. Keep fertilizing roses, but in zones 5 and colder, keep it to a minimum to encourage them to overwinter better.

Midwest

1. Keep harvesting your veggies.
2. Keep plants well-watered—deeply to encourage root healthy root growth.
3. Mow often, but leave it 3 inches tall to encourage root growth.
4. Keep pinching suckers off of tomatoes. Remove them at the crotch of the stem, so they can't produce new plants.
5. Continue to plant trees, shrubs, perennial herbs and flowers. Improve your chances by planting on an overcast day.
6. Keep fertilizing roses, but in zones 5 and colder, keep it to a minimum to encourage them to overwinter better.

Mountains and High Plains

1. Keep harvesting your veggies.
2. Keep plants well-watered—deeply to encourage root healthy root growth.
3. Take advantage of a good rain by weeding afterwards.
4. Continue to plant trees, shrubs, herbs and flowers. Improve your chances by planting on an overcast day.
5. Keep deadheading.
6. Keep fertilizing roses, but in zones 5 and colder, keep it to a minimum to encourage them to overwinter better.

Northwest

1. Keep harvesting your veggies.
2. Keep plants well-watered—deeply to encourage root healthy root growth.
3. Take advantage of a good rain by weeding afterwards.
4. Keep deadheading.
5. Keep fertilizing roses.
6. Keep pinching suckers off of tomatoes. Remove them at the crotch of the stem, so they can't produce new plants.

Southern California

1. Keep harvesting your veggies.
2. Keep plants well-watered—deeply to encourage root healthy root growth.
3. Keep deadheading.
4. Keep fertilizing roses, containers, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.

Southwest

1. Keep harvesting your veggies, cleaning your garden as you go.
2. Keep plants well-watered—deeply to encourage root healthy root growth.
3. Mow often, but leave it 3 inches tall to encourage root growth.
4. Keep deadheading.
5. Keep fertilizing containers.