Water your lawn strategically for best results
Established bluegrass lawns need about an inch of water a week to continue to actively grow and stay green throughout the summer. I do not water my lawn at home and appreciate the reduced need for mowing when the grass goes dormant, allowing me to skip mowing some weeks.
Water deeply once a week rather than lightly multiple times a week. This promotes a deeper root system so the grass will hold up better to stress.
To determine how long it takes your sprinkler to deliver 1 inch of water, set out a coffee, tuna or other shallow can with straight sides and time how long it takes to fill it with an inch of water. Be consistent with your watering practices — either water on a regular basis all summer or let your grass go dormant during hot, dry periods. If your soil has lots of clay and water begins to run off after long periods of watering, you may need to split watering into a couple of times per week. Mowing your lawn at a height of 3 inches or more will also help the grass withstand stress and keep out weeds.
Harvest at the right time
Harvest vegetables when they are at the peak of their flavor. Younger plants and fruits are often more tender than those left on the plant longer. The length of time vegetables remain edible depends on weather conditions. High temperatures hasten maturity. It is also important to handle vegetables carefully when you harvest. Check the garden daily and remove any ripe, damaged or misshapen fruits. Fruits that are not easily removed from the plant, such as eggplant, should be cut with a knife. Harvest on a regular basis to encourage production. Many plants, such as cucumber, okra and zucchini will cease production if mature fruits are not harvested.
Dinner-plate dahlia tricks
If you want to maximize the size of your dahlia flowers, keep the main stems free of side shoots, allowing only the terminal bud to develop. This results in one flower per stem and is most effective when growing large, dinner-plate-sized cultivars. The plants will probably need some support to prevent wind damage and stems that break from the weight of the flowers.
Fungal disease seen on trees
I have been seeing more trees with tan, brown or black lesions this summer than in past years. This is probably being caused by anthracnose, which is a common name given to a group of related fungal leaf and stem diseases. This disease is more prevalent in years with rainy springs and cool temperatures.
The color of the lesions and symptoms of anthracnose vary depending on the tree species. Infected leaves range from small dead spots to large circular or irregular dead blotches.
Treatment is not generally recommended, but take maintenance steps to promote good tree health, such as providing supplemental water during dry periods.
• Tim Johnson is director of horticulture at Chicago Botanic Garden, chicagobotanic.org.