Garden Center at Kerrville #6576

As we stretch into the dog days of summer, your garden and landscaping will weather more intense heat and UV rays than earlier in the year. You'll want to consider how to keep things cool with proper tending, irrigation, and shade. Just like we can get sunburned, grass and annuals can get scorched, and trees can lose their leaves prematurely. Let us help. At The Home Depot Kerrville Garden Center, we've got what you need to make it through the hotter months.

Grow a Healthy Lawn
If you're concerned that your lawn has dried out blades of grass, don't panic. It's possible that you've got a cool season grass that's going to go dormant and turn brown in the heat of the summer. If that's the case, it'll be an overall shade of brown, but not green with brown patches. See if the roots are alive by tugging on a blade of grass: If it comes right out, the grass is probably dead and will need to be replaced with new sod or grass seed. If the piece of grass doesn't come right out, it's dormant. That means it's growing and resting underground. Water dormant grass deeply once or twice each week, but don't fertilize it.

Warm-season grass stays green in the summer. If you have this kind of lawn, water it deeply once a week. Give it another drink every day or two, depending on your weather. Avoid overwatering, and allow the lawn to dry out after heavy rains before you get out the garden hose or sprinkler again. If it's especially hot out, water when the top two inches of soil is dry to the touch. It's ok to let it grow a little taller this time of the year, as cutting it too short isn't healthy for this kind of lawn.

Care for Your Shrubs and Trees
When you're making sure your garden is watered, don't forget about the trees, and bushes. They may need less watering than vegetable plants, but they can still get parched and dry in the summer heat. It's not hard to learn how to water shrubs and trees — just aim the water at the roots. It'll help prolong the greenery and blooms and keep it from drying out.

Also, check for damaged areas on the trees and shrubs. Pests can wreak havoc on your greenery if you don't catch them in time. Look for holes in leaves, spots on leaves or bark, or strange raised scars on the bark. When your leaves look like lace, something is eating them. Spots may indicate several issues ranging from bugs to fungus. Those scar-like lines on tree bark could mean your tree is infected with borers, an insect that lays eggs inside the bark and then burrows out after it hatches. Any of these issues should be researched and cared for as soon as possible, as they may end the life of your trees or bushes.

Vertical Edible Gardening
If you like to grow your own food, take it vertical and consider growing organically. Many vegetable plants are vines and well-suited to climb a fence or trellis, so plant them next to one. Support the stem itself, as well as the junctions right below where the branches grow off the stem. This is so the weight of the plant doesn't snap the stem or branches.

Fasten your plant to a pole or tomato cage with twine, plant ties and wires, garden wire, or fabric strips. Be sure to attach each plant loosely. Then the leaves and branches can sway in the breeze and the stem has room to grow wider. Strawberry, watermelon, squash, cucumber, and tomato plants need support as they bear fruit. Squash and melons require hammocks made of stretchy fabric, string, old nylons, or a sling to support the heavy produce. These plants take up less space on the ground when grown vertically, which allows you to have walking room in between plants or fit even more of them.

Vines as Decorative Shade
Plant vines to climb an arbor or trellis to provide both beauty and shade. Go with vines that are native to your area to attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Grape vines are a classic choice, but they take time to mature, so you'll have shade without grapes for a few years. Remember to match your vine plants to how much sun you receive, as some like full sun and others don't. As a bonus, many vines put out sweet-smelling flowers, so you can enjoy a delightful fragrance in the cool shade.

Find Your Summertime Landscaping Supplies Today
No matter if your perfect summer includes relaxing, gardening, grilling, or finishing those outdoor DIY projects, we've got you covered. Make the most of these early mornings and lengthy evenings to enjoy all the season has to offer. Shop online at your leisure, on our app anywhere you like, or in the aisles of your Kerrville store.