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July continues to be a busy time for gardeners.  With grass to cut and weeds on the increase there are always outside jobs in the summer.   Listed below are just a few gardening tips for mid-summer:
 

• Clean up fallen rose leaves.  They can harbor disease and insect pests over the winter if allowed to remain on the ground.
• If you wish to kill grass and weeds growing through cracks in patios, garden walks, or driveways, be extremely cautious.  Many weed killers will leach into surrounding areas and damage ornamentals or lawn.  Pulling the weeds is the safest action, but you may wish to use a contact herbicide such as those containing glyphosate (example: Roundup).
• Weed removal in a garden is important for a number of reasons.  It conserves moisture, conserves nutrients in the soil and helps prevent the spread of disease and insects.
• Every weed that ripens seed means more trouble next year.  Control weeds before they go to seed.  Do not add weeds with ripened seed heads to the compost pile.  Many weed seeds remain viable and germinate next year when the compost is used.
• To keep your flower gardens attractive, continue to trim off spent blooms.
• Don’t use ashes from your charcoal grill in the garden or compost pile.  Briquets have ingredients added to aid in the burning process which may be harmful to your plant.
• After your vegetable garden is well established, it is best to water it thoroughly once a week rather than giving it a light watering everyday.  That way, a deeper root system is encouraged that will help the plants tolerate dry weather.  Generally, an application of once inch of water to the surface will wet the soil to six or eight inches deep.  If it has rained, you may not need to water a lawn or garden.

Remember to visit the Dawson County Produce Market.  The market will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. each Wednesday and Saturday.  The market will be held in the parking lot of the Dawson County Agricultural Center in Dawsonville on Academy Avenue. For more information, contact the Dawson Extension Office (706) 265-2442.

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