DEAD-HEAD: Continue to remove faded blooms on annuals such as geraniums, marigolds, petunias, salvia, verbena and zinnias. Not doing so will cause the plants to stop blooming and produce seed which signals the end of the plant’s life cycle.

REJUVENATE ANNUALS: By this point in the summer, some annuals may have become spindly or leggy. It is a good time to pinch or trim them back by as much as ½ their current height. They will soon begin to leaf out, look thicker and start to bloom again.

MOW HIGHER: Raise lawnmower blades by at least ½ inch.Letting the grass grow taller during the summer months will cause the roots to grow deeper into the soil. You will also have to water less to keep the grass green.

LEAVE CLIPPINGS: Leave grass clippings on your lawn. As they deteriorate, they fertilize your turf.

MOW IN THE EVENING: Mowing at this time of day puts less stress on your grass.The grass is dry and temperatures are cooler.

EDGE TURF: Keep your lawn edged so grasses like Bermuda don’t invade your planting sites.

CRAPE MYRTLES: Remove spent flowers as they occur and you may be rewarded with a second crop of blooms.

BAGWORMS: Look for hungry bagworms on trees and evergreens. To control these caterpillars and prevent them from defoliating the plants, remove them by hand or spray with an appropriate insecticide.

WATER WISELY: Plants setting berries like pyracantha or hollies and plants setting flower buds for next year’s blooms, like azaleas and camellias will benefit from a little extra water. Most established plants need about one inch of water per week to perform at their best.

MULCH: Make sure all planting areas have a two-inch layer of mulch.Mulches help to regulate soil temperature, conserve moisture in the soil and prevent weed development.