Extension

Trees and Shrubs

• Continue supplemental irrigation of newly planted trees and shrubs during periods of heat and drought stress.
• Vigorous, unwanted limbs should be removed or shortened on new trees. Watch for forks in the main trunk and remove the least desirable trunk as soon as it is noticed.
  (HLA-6415 Training Young Shade and Ornamental Trees)
• Scout for bagworms on junipers, arborvitae, cypress, and related evergreens. Small bagworms are much easier to control than large larvae later.
• Pine needle disease treatments are needed again in mid-June.
• Remove tree wraps during the summer to avoid potential disease and insect buildup.
• Softwood cuttings from new growth of many shrubs will root if propagated in a moist shady spot.
• Protect trees from lawnmowers and weed eaters by mulching or using protective aerated covers.
• Watch for first generation fall webworm. (EPP-7306 Ornamental and Lawn Pest Control for Homeowners)

Flower Beds

•  Remain alert for insect damage, including spider mites. The foliage of most plants becomes pale and speckled; juniper foliage turns a pale yellowish color. Shake a branch over white paper and watch for tiny specks to crawl.
• Mulch ornamental beds after heavy spring rains have passed. Mulching helps reduce weed pressure, prevents soil crusting, and reduces about 70% of the summer landscape maintenance.
• Remove spent blooms from annuals and repeat-blooming perennials to encourage continued flowering.
• Continue to water the landscape deeply as needed. Apply at least one inch of water each time.
• Pinch back leggy annuals to encourage new growth. Fertilize and water appropriately.
• Feed established mums and other perennials.
• When picking fresh roses or removing faded ones, cut back to a leaflet facing the outside of the bush to encourage open growth and air circulation.
• Stake tall perennials before toppling winds arise.
• Monitor container plantings closely. Containers may require daily watering during periods of extreme heat.

Vegetables

• Mulch vegetable beds to control weeds, regulate soil temperature, and encourage moisture retention. Organic mulches, like wood chips, leaf litter, or grass clippings, will break down overtime and help with overall soil health.
• Harvest vegetables frequently. Regular harvest encourages continued production of crops such as beans, squash, cucumbers, and okra.
• Monitor tomatoes for blossom end rot, fruit cracking, and sunscald as temperatures increase.
• Watch for spider mite damage as temperatures increase. Spider mites prefer stressed plants, so ensure that garden beds receive proper irrigation throughout hot summer months.
• Diligently scout for squash bug eggs on cucurbit plants. Controlling small, young populations is much easier than controlling adults.
• Remove and destroy hornworms by hand when practical. Look for defoliation and frass on tomato plants.
  

Lawn and Turf

• Fertilize warm season grasses at 0.5 to 1 lb. N per 1,000 square feet. Do not fertilize fescue and other cool season grasses during the summer.
• Dollar spot disease of lawns can first become visible in mid-May. Make certain fertilizer applications have been adequate before applying a fungicide. (EPP-7658 Dollar Spot of Turfgrass)
• Seeding of warm-season grasses should be completed by the end of June (through July for improved varieties such as Monaco, Yukon, and Riviera to reduce winterkill losses.
  (HLA-6419 Establishing a Lawn in Oklahoma)
• Brown patch disease of cool-season grasses can be a problem, avoid over watering these grasses. (HLA-6420 Lawn Management in Oklahoma)
• White grubs will soon be emerging as adult June Beetles. Watch for high populations that can indicate potential damage from later life cycle stages as grubs in the summer. Apply preventative white grub treatments from late April to early June.
• Post-emergent control of crabgrass and summer annual grasses is best performed on young plants. (HLA-6420 Lawn Management in Oklahoma)
• Conduct the simple irrigation audit in your home lawn. This simple procedure may save you money, keep plants healthier and help conserve Oklahoma water resources.
  (HLA-6610 Simple Irrigation Audit for Home Lawns in Oklahoma)
• Aerification of warm-season grasses like Bermudagrass should be done in summer months if needed to control compaction.
• Raise mowing height during periods of heat and drought stress to promote deeper rooting and improved turf resilience.
  

Fruit and Nuts

• Renovate overgrown strawberry beds after the last harvest. Start by setting your lawnmower to its highest setting and mow off the foliage. Next thin crowns 12-24 inches apart. Apply recommended fertilizer, preemergence herbicide if needed and keep watered.
  (HLA-6214 Growing Strawberries in the Home Garden)
  

General

• Find someone to water plants in the house and garden while on vacation. Harvesting vegetables and mowing the lawn are a must and imply that someone is home.
• Keep an eye on irrigation systems and hoses during periods of high-water demand. Repair leaks and clogged emitters promptly to improve water efficiency.