Jeremy Hogan | Herald-Times Brandon Wilkening, left, and Patti Coil plant tomatoes in Willie Streeter Community Gardens.

Sun taking a toll on your garden?

MORE: Public gardens provide soil for Bloomington roots

Morgan County Master Gardener Trena Trusty offers advice on growing fresh produce all season long and into fall:

Maintaining your lawn

Trusty says the biggest issue she sees in the summer is people not keeping up with mowing. Maintaining your lawn is extremely important, especially during rainy periods. Trusty advises mowing your lawn when it reaches 4.5” to 5”. Waiting until the lawn gets to 6” will stress the grass and make it less likely to handle future droughts well. Letting the lawn get too long will also allow weeds to take root and over time the grass will not be able to compete.

Controlling Weeds

Stay ahead of the growth. Trusty says this is the time of the year when weeds take over so some people just give in. If you cannot pull or knock them all down, Trusty advises at least removing the bloom heads to avoid new ones from sprouting. If you use chemicals to tame the culprits, save money by cutting them-by hand, lawn mower or weedeater­—before you spray. This is less expensive and better for your garden. Be sure to apply sprays when it is not windy and during a time when it will be dry for 24 hours.

Watering

Established plants will fare fine if the rain is steady. Trusty recommends watering plants two to three times a week during arid days. Heavily soak the plants slowly and evenly to ensure deep soil penetration, not just at the surface. This forces roots to grow downwards and creates a sturdy, healthy plant. Plan your routine for the morning not the evening. If the ground is bone-dry, split into two steps. Trusty compares this to dampening a sponge. First, dampen the area and let the soil sit for a while, then follow-up with a dousing the next round.

Fruits and Veggies

July is the perfect time to fertilize strawberries. Apply one pound per 100 square feet of a 10-10-10 fertilizer and dig into the soil at least six to eight inches deep. Wet the fertilizer to get it deep into the root zone. This will prevent over production of leaves and promote the best berry production.

If growing tomatoes on stakes, be sure to pinch the suckers off of the plants. A sucker is a shoot that grows between a branch and a leaf cluster. Removal will make for easier maintenance and training.

Time to say good-bye to cool season crops like lettuce and radishes. Replace with new crops like beans, sweet corn or carrots. Be sure to put something in this empty space or weeds will grow.