After the long and chilly winter months are over with, most of the time people can not wait to get outside and feel the warm sunshine on their face and the mild breezes that says Spring is here. Planting is is what is on people’s minds whether it is flowers or vegetables, and of course, there is lawn mowing to be done. Those heavy coats, hats and gloves can be packed away for another year. Finally you can dress lighter in sneakers, shorts and t-shirts.

When the outdoor chores are done there are always enjoyable things to do as well such as pool parties, cooking out with friends or family members, or you can sit around on the porch or patio and just watch the sun as it sets into the night sky. These are some wonderful and leisurely times until the insects show up and horn in on the fun. You end up spending half of your time swatting, squashing, or spraying hazardous chemicals trying to get rid of the biting flies and gnats and stinging bees and hazardous mosquitoes.

It’s time to dry everlastings, bells of Ireland and celosias for winter arrangements. Cut the flowers when dry, tie in bunches of not over five stems and hang in a dry, airy attic away from the light (in strong light the colors will fade).

Feeding the Lawn and Hydrangeas

Give the established lawn a feeding early in August. Be sure to soak the soil well after the application, so the lawn will not burn. Feed peegee hydrangeas liberally now to increase the size of the flower heads.

Controlling Red Spider

If evergreens or roses suddenly take on a rusty appearance, red spider mites may be the culprits. The easy way to spot them is to shake the branches over a white paper and then examine the paper for very tiny, moving red dots. Red spider mites are very difficult to see on the dark green foliage. For control, spray with Neem oil (organic natural) or malathion.

Chores in the Eating Garden

There is still time to sow lettuce, radishes, snap beans and turnips for late fall crops. Blanch celery if you like it yellow, but remember that the green PASCAL celery doesn’t need blanching. Remove canes of raspberries that have fruited, being careful not to injure the new young canes which will produce next year’s crop.

In the Western June garden, midway in the growing season, color abounds from almost every corner. Even the hard hit northwestern cities and towns, which reeled under the untimely November and December freezes, are coming back strongly.

From now on it is mainly a job of maintenance rather than planting. Mowing the lawn, watering and weeding the garden, pruning of spring flowering shrubs these are the jobs to be done now.

Annuals to sow: In the Pacific Northwest and Northern California lots of annuals can still be started from seed. If seed is sown now in the Southwest, and particularly in the hot sections of Arizona, the rows will need protection from the heat. Peatmoss serves as a perfect insulator in this case.

No matter where you are starting seeds in the West this month, be sure to provide them with a loose, porous soil. Some of the best annuals to sow are zinnias, marigolds, nasturtiums, portulaca, cosmos, salvia, cockscomb and sweet alyssum. All thrive in spite of hot weather. They will be dependable replacements for the bare spots in the spring border.

Professional is best- Education is key to winning the pest battle. Once you have come across the pest infested area, do as much research as possible on the type of pest you are sharing your space with as well as the nature and extent of your pest problem. Now that you have identified the type, nature and extent you will be able to determine the best way to get rid of the pest. Integrated Pest Management is the basis for successful pest control processes and procedures. This implies a mix of treatment methods to treat your pest problem. It will be best to call in professional pest control services instead of you trying to win the battle of the crawlies yourself. It will be less expensive, time consuming, dangerous and effort at the end of the day. Specialist knowledge is often required for certain pest types.

Frequency- The frequency of treatment is highly dependent upon the type of pest. Treatment may only be necessary once or repeated monthly. Routine application is the preferred choice.