July Garden Checklist From Clemson Extension: Beetles, Bagworms, and Blossom End Rot

The Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service has released its July yard and garden calendar with timely guidance for Laurens County homeowners. Tips cover flowers, fruit trees, lawns, trees, and vegetable gardens, and are drawn from Extension resources available at www.clemson.edu/laurens.

Flowers and Fruit Trees

Japanese beetles remain a serious threat this month and can defoliate ornamental plantings quickly. Treat infestations with carbaryl (Sevin or similar) in liquid spray form, and observe all label precautions on mixing and use. Fruit tree growers should inspect for fireblight, particularly if the disease appeared last year, and spray blooms to prevent its spread. Continue applying a fungicide such as Captan every seven to ten days for quality fruit. Hold off on insecticides until fewer than 10 percent of blooms remain, then malathion may be added to the program after the blooms have fallen.

Lawns

Warm season lawns face several threats in July, including brown patch, dollar spot, chinch bugs, mole crickets, and white grubs. Bermuda and zoysia lawns should receive a nitrogen application this month, and iron can be applied to centipede lawns to encourage green color without excessive growth. Apply fire ant bait when ground temperatures are between 70 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Bacillus thuringiensis works well on Japanese beetle grubs, though it takes time to build up in the soil. Aeration is recommended for any actively growing warm season lawn, and irrigation should deliver about one inch of water per week, including rainfall. Homeowners should avoid watering every day.

Trees

Bagworms are the primary tree concern this month and can kill a tree if the infestation is heavy. They favor juniper, arborvitae, and pine, but will also attack broadleaf trees and shrubs such as rose, sycamore, maple, elm, and black locust. Hand-picking handles light infestations, and Bacillus thuringiensis is effective for heavier ones. July and August are good months to prune azalea, dogwood, forsythia, redbud, and rhododendron, which should be pruned after they bloom but before bloom set in the fall. Oakleaf hydrangea and late-flowering azalea cultivars may also be pruned now.

Vegetables

Gardeners should watch for corn earworm, cucumber beetle, and squash vine borer. Tomatoes forming with blossom end rot likely have a calcium deficiency, which can also result from a lack of water. Placing gypsum beside the plant at planting time helps prevent it, and foliar sprays are available. Affected fruit should be removed and discarded. July planting windows include lima beans, cucumbers, Irish potatoes, and squash (early July), pole beans (July 15 to 25), tomatoes (July 10 to 20), and peppers (July 20 to 25). Cabbage, carrots, and collards may be planted throughout the month.

For local resources, visit www.clemson.edu/laurens.