Summer is in full force and while it's been quite hot in many parts of California, it's been very cool in others. That's why UC IPM's Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist is a useful tool to help you figure out what to do in your region each month!
Here are some general tips for keeping your landscape healthy in July:
Clean up fallen fruit or nuts to avoid attracting or harboring pests.
Deter borers by deep watering trees that are adapted to summer rainfall. Avoid pruning or creating open wounds that can also attract borers.
Cover fruit trees with netting to exclude birds and other vertebrate pests.
Check your vegetable plants such as peppers and tomatoes for aphids and their natural enemies. Spray aphids with a strong stream of water to knock them off sturdy plants. Most established plants can tolerate aphid feeding.
Maintain a fire safe landscape by creating “defensible space.” Thin out thick vegetation and eliminate fuel ladders that allow fire to climb up trees or structures.
Inspect apple, citrus and especially stone fruit for bacterial blast, blight, and canker. Remove entire affected branches in the summer, making cuts several inches away in healthy wood.
Watch for yellowjackets and other wasps. Keep garbage cans sealed and eliminate food or drinks left outside. Use lure or water traps to control yellowjacket populations.
Visit the Seasonal Landscape IPM Checklist to find out what to do in your region in July. Use the UC IPM Home and Landscape pages to find all the solutions you need to battle pests in home, garden, and landscape.
