Southwest Region

• Check out local plant sales for great deals!
• Start your fall vegetable garden by planting broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage, carrots, collards, lettuce, and other cool-season vegetables that will winter over.
• Remove old vegetable plants that have stopped producing; this will help eliminate pests and diseases from your garden.
• Beware of caterpillars, aphids, spider mites, and other insects in the garden. Treat them as needed.
• Stay on top of weeds; don't let them go to seed.
• Deadhead spent flowers; this may encourage new blooms in September.
• During these warmer months, raise the mowing height to 2.5 to 3 inches.
• For Bermuda lawns, water 1 inch per week.
• Check the mulch around your plants; if there is little or no mulch, make sure to put in a 3- to 4-inch layer to conserve moisture.
• Divide and transplant iris, peonies, and other spring blooms as they go dormant.
• Plant new perennials, shrubs, and trees; they have a better chance to establish themselves during the milder fall months than those planted in the spring.
• Order your spring-blooming bulbs.
• Be sure to regularly water your houseplants and potted plants. Use a water-soluble fertilizer so that the plants do not lose vital nutrients. Do not let houseplants dry out.
• Pick your annuals and perennials frequently to encourage more flower production.