JULY THINGS TO DO

Seattle ( PNW ) / Denver Area

revised july 2025

Note - I recently moved to Denver, which has a different climate zone, and shorter growing season. This is a combined, general, maintenance guideline for both areas. _________________________________ Shrubs & Tree's: routine pruning / thinning. cut and remove old guy-wires Excellent month to thin, control size and remove suckers Inspect woody plants for cankers and swollen area's damaged and crossing branches dead, off-color, leaves and twigs guy wires that need to be loosened or removed _________________________________ Lawns: Mowing: Some irrigated lawns may need mowing every 7-10 days. - otherwise a 14 day cycle should work. Lawns that grow very little can go every 3-4 weeks. If such lawns are weedy, the weeds will need mowing. Is there an alternative to regularly mowing the grass? I don't know. It depends on the site and aesthetic tastes of the owner. When you decide to mow it after a long while, you will have a big job to do. An architect was once a customer of mine. He would have conversations with his wife on whether or not to mow the lawn. I followed his wifes instructions. My niece and s/o keep their lawn quite long and i think this is an interesting idea. The cats provide the evening entertainment hunting bugs in the yard, half-hidden by the grass. Plantings which replace a lawn may be more interesting, and biologically diverse. However, lawns can nicely frame a home and add useful living and recreation space. ---------------- fertilizer: Not recommended during summer months. ---------------- Weed Control *weed & feed is never recommended. * try to identify the weeds you want to control ---------- * Spot treatments of household vinegar may be useful, apply a little before noon if possible. Frankly, I have erratic results. * apply using a spray bottle or hand pump * It can be tried for non-selective control of dandelions, many other weeds, and weedlike grasses. * it does not work on buttercup or ground ivy * DO NOT USE OVER ROOT ZONES OF TREES AND SHRUBS * multiple applications may be helpful * target the weed * apply with moderation * palm-sized spots of grasskill will recover ---------- safe products based on cinnamin, orange oil, etc - are available, & approved by the epa and many states. They are non-selective weed killers. read the label carefully and follow the instructions ----------- Aeration: aerate only if the soil beneath the grass is not getting wet after a good rain many - if not most - lawns don't need aerating To be effective, several passes (4, 5 or more) of the aerator is needed to remove sufficient soil surface leave the plugs on the ground ----------- Watering: lawns will need about 1" of water per week that is about 1/2 to 3/4 gal per sq. ft per week In general let the lawn dry out a little between each watering. - roughly 7-10 minutes, 3 times a week, per 500 sq. ft. for pop-up sprayers and sprinklers - rotaries or oscillators may need twice as long - adjust time as nescessary For additional information, lawn renovation, moss, or cranefly problems, see our "Lawn Care Tips" pamphlet: https://goodfolkstomow.com/pam3.htm ________________________________ Beds: Routine weeding & cleanup. Cut back spent roses to 5-leaf branchlets Add mulch to beds if needed. More than 2" depth of mulch is not recommended. Keep mulch away from trunks of shrubs and trees. Compost is suggested to improve soil, and provide nutrients. Arbor-chips, small-nugget bark, or shredded cedar bark can be used to suppress weeds and conserve water. Mulch does not eliminate weeds but makes them easier to remove. ----------------- Transplant leek, garlic, potatoe, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprout Sow lettuce, spinach, radish, carrots, beets, snap beans Fertilize annuals and perennials as needed