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| Annuals & Perennials |
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Begin planting tender summer annuals now including flowering vinca. Begin fertilizing summer annuals with Plant-tone for large summer flowers. |
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Pinch back Mums and feed with Pro-Start to promote bushy growth. |
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When you plant in areas that are damaged by deer, rabbits or other animal pests, apply Repellex Systemic Tablets to make your plants resistant to their feeding. The active ingredient is Capsaicin, or hot pepper, which lasts up to a year! |
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In areas where squirrels are digging up your annuals, spray with Squirrel Stopper. |
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Deadhead early blooming perennials and mulch with Cottonbur compost to control weeds. |
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Sow seeds of summer annuals directly in the ground such as sunflowers and zinnias. |
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Complete planting of borders and divide overcrowded perennials. To reduce transplant shock use Pro-Start Organic fertilizer or Ferti-lome Root Stimulator. |
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Prevent weed germination in your borders and beds by applying Corn Gluten Weed Preventer or Preen. Do not use these products if you will be sowing any flower seeds, |
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Spray RoundUp on actively growing weeds or grass in your beds and borders. Target the weed, as RoundUp is non-selective. |
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Spray RoundUp Extended Control to kill all weeds and keep any weeds from sprouting on patios and driveway. |
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Slugs hide under large leaves, create a slug barrier around your hostas and other tasty perennials, use Sluggo or Natural Guard Crawling Insect Control, with Diatomaceous Earth regularly. |
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Use BioNEEM Insecticide and Repellent for aphids and/or caterpillars on new growth of perennials and annuals. |
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Use Bayer All-in-One Rose & Flower Care, to control mildew and phlox plant bug on garden phlox. |
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When planting your containers and window boxes, dispose of old soil and replace with fresh potting mix being sure to incorporate Osmocote (a time-release fertilizer) and Soil Moist (a polymer that absorbs and slowly releases moisture) to ensure their health and success throughout the hot summer. |
| Roses |
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Use a sun-stick to measure the amount of sunlight in your planting area to determine whether you have enough light for roses before planting. |
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When planting new roses mix Cottonbur Compost, Soil Perfector (to help break-down heavy clay soil), Organic Traditions Bone Meal, and Espoma Rose-tone into your soil. |
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Apply Bayer All-in-One Rose & Flower Care every six weeks for insect control, fungus control and fertilizer. |
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For an organic fungus control solution, use Actinovate. |
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Keep rose beds clear of dropped leaves and petals and deadhead spent blooms regularly to prevent the spread of black spot. |
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Knock Out Roses are disease resistant so no spraying is needed. Fertilize all roses monthly with Rose-tone. |
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Roses are thirsty plants. Each rose needs 5 gallons of water per week to thrive. |
| Vegetables, Herbs & Edibles |
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When planting vegetables, use Myke® Vegetable Garden near the plant roots. Myke is an all-natural product that allows for rapid growth development while ensuring better recovery and survival after transplanting. |
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For extended lettuce harvests, grow under Harvest Guard Row Cover to keep it shaded and slow down bolting. |
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Begin planting sweet corn, summer squash and watermelons as cool season crops are harvested. Add Worm Power fertilizer to base of vegetables when planting for increased production. |
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Keep asparagus harvested for continued production. Use Monterey Garden Insect Spray for Asparagus Beetle and caterpillars on broccoli and cabbage plants. |
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Give vegetable plants a boost by feeding them with an organic fertilizer such as Gro-tone or Fish Emulsion. |
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Plant all warm season herbs and vegetables now, including basil and tomatoes. Set stakes in to support the tomato plants at the time of planting. Visit the Tomatoes Page for a list of the 2012 tomato varieties. |
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Fertilize Blueberries and raspberries with Holly-tone fertilizer to increase harvest. Remember adequate water is essential and install soaker hoses. |
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Strawberries are in full flower and berry production now, keep them well watered, fertilize with Garden-tone fertilizer. To prevent slug damage and fungus on the berries put a layer of Soil Perfector around and under the plants. |
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Apply Rot-Stop on tomatoes, melons and peppers as need to help correct calcium deficiencies that cause blossom end rot. When ends of tomatoes turn brown and rotten. |
Trees and Shrubs |
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Use all natural Myke® when planting new trees and shrubs to increase the development of the root system. If you buy Myke® at the same time you buy your new trees you will receive a 5-Year Warranty! |
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Use Bayer Advanced 12 month Tree & Shrub Insect Control to prevent damage from Japanese Beetles, leaf minor damage on hollies and boxwoods and Lacebug damage to azaleas. |
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Use Organic Monterey Garden Insect Control with Spinosad, to control Japanese Beetles, caterpillars, thrips, bagworms, beetles and others on ornamental shrubs. |
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Read Missouri University Extension Guide, "Fruit Spray Schedules for the Homeowner" to learn how and when to spray fruit trees. Use Actinovate to prevent mildew and molds on trees and shrubs. |
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Use Treegator 14 gallon Irrigation Bags on newly planted trees to insure proper watering. |
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Spray All Seasons Spray Oil on scale infested pines and euonymus now when the crawlers are active. |
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If not done in earlier, apply Organic Traditions Garden Acidifier to blue-blooming hydrangeas or Color Me Pink or Color Me Blue on your hydrangeas to make sure you get the color you prefer. |
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Apples Crabapples and Hawthorns susceptible to rust disease should have a protective spray such as Liqui-Cop RTS, applied beginning when these trees bloom. |
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If spring rain has been sparse, begin irrigating, especially plants grown in full sun and those blooming in spring. Use soaker hoses to distribute the water evenly without causing soil erosion. |
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Use Holly-tone to fertilize evergreens or pines, spruce, junipers, dogwoods and Tree-tone to fertilize deciduous trees. |
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Use Holly-tone fertilizer on Azaleas and Rhododendrons after bloom. |
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Forsythia and other spring flowering trees and shrubs (Spirea, Mock Orange, Lilac, Magnolia, Rhododendron, Azalea, etc.) should be pruned immediately after flowering to promote new growth for next year’s flowering. |
| Tropical Houseplants |
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Bring Tropical plants outdoors as night temperatures stay above 50°. Start them in a shady location and gradually move to brighter light to prevent sunburn. Fertilize with Osmocote or Gro-tone. |
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Apply Miracid or Holly-tone or Citrus-tone to gardenias and citrus plants every 3 to 4 weeks. |
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Use All Seasons Spray Oil, on ficus, gardenia or citrus plants if scale or mealy bug is a problem. |
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Use Palm-tone to feed all palms and hibiscus and Citrus-tone for citrus and avocado plants. |
| Lawn |
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Zoysia lawns may be fertilized now. Apply Fertilome Classic Lawn Food or Organic Lawn Food. |
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Apply post-emergent broadleaf weed control, Weed B'Gon Max, to kill weeds and crabgrass in your lawn. |
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Water newly laid or seeded lawns. Use rain gauges to monitor rainfall. Gardens need about 1” inch of water per week through September. |
| Bulbs |
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Plant summer bulbs such as dahlias, cannas, elephant ears and hybrid lilies now. Mulch with Cottonbur compost and keep them well watered. |
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Spring blooming bulbs can be moved or divided as the foliage dies. Use Bulb-tone when replanting |
| Compost |
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Save kitchen vegetable scraps and egg shells in compost carrier to add green matter to compost pile. |
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As you continue to add leaves and natural debris to your compost pile, be sure to turn your pile and add Organic Traditions Bio-Excelerator to aid the “heating up” process. |
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Keep compost pile moist. Add water if needed. |
| For the Birds & Bees |
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Keep bird feeders full to welcome the return of migrating birds to your garden and make sure bird baths are cleaned and filled with fresh water regularly. |
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Fill Hummingbird Feeders with Nectar as the hummingbirds return to St. Louis. To attract hummingbirds to your garden, click here to find out what plants attract them. |
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Use Mosquito Dunks to safely kill mosquito larvae in fish ponds, bird baths and standing water. This biological pest control product kills mosquito larvae but is completely non-toxic to animals such as fish, birds, wildlife and pets. |
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Protect bees by not spraying fruit trees when in bloom. |
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Trap wasps with wasp catchers rather than using dangerous sprays. |
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Use native plants to attract songbirds, hummingbirds and butterflies. Click on one of the links for lists of flowers that attract these wonderful critters! |
