Week 1

• It is a good time to stand back and have a good look at your property to consider planting a new tree to provide shade, screen an eyesore, frame a view, form a windbreak, or become a specimen tree for display.
• Shorten the long, rangy growth of wisterias to help promote the development of side spurs for blooms next spring.
• Snip finished flowers off hardy phlox to prevent seed formation and help promote a second crop of flowers this year.
• Finish pruning climbing roses and cultivate all rose beds lightly to keep down weeds.
• Cut out old fruiting canes from raspberry bushes when berry picking is finished (burn old canes).
• Now is a good time to prune hedges.
• Continue to deep water once a week.

Week 2

• Now is a good time to divide some perennials, take cuttings, and gather seeds to increase your plant collection.
• Irises can be divided now. Watch for and destroy any chestnut brown pupae which are found when clumps are divided. These pupae are borers ready to hatch into moths and lay eggs.
• Columbine seeds should be sown now.
• Liquid feed flower beds to keep them from languishing.

Week 3

• Plant or divide old clumps of day lilies. Water and mulch the plants after planting.
• Phlox grows best from late summer divisions.
• Gradually move houseplants that have been summering outdoors into shadier locations so they will be prepared for lower light levels indoors. Watch for pests.
• Turn layers of the compost pile.

Week 4

• Keep flowers cut in the garden and vegetables harvested.
• Pull onions for harvesting.
• Put Christmas cactus in the dark at night.
• Lawn seed sown now will be well established before winter and rooted enough to withstand drought and heat next summer.
• Aerate lawns for healthy growth.
• Prepare the soil in preparation for tulip bulbs. Add composted manure, peat, or compost supplemented with bonemeal (phosphorous). Work in a 2-inch layer to a depth of about 8 inches.