Lawns are one thing, but what about ornamental grasses? They provide a nice variation in the garden and are very tolerant of summer heat. Another benefit is that they bloom in the late summer and fall when fewer perennials are adding color in your garden. 
 
Ornamental grasses come in many sizes and varieties. They can be dramatic, stately, or soft and feathery, depending on which you plant. Remember that the flowering of an ornamental grass looks like mature grain rather than a typical perennial flower.
 
We have all kinds of ornamental grasses this summer, in 3, 5, 7 and even 10 gallon pots. You'll be able to establish them quickly and see their dramatic beauty this season with plants this large. Come see what's in stock! Below is a sampling.
 
Maiden Grass has beautiful draping form and a delicate flowering head in late summer. It comes in many heights depending on which variety you select. Some are also variegated. We carry 'Morning Light', 'Gracillimus', 'Flame Grass,' 'Zebra Grass', and 'Porcupine' and other varieties.
 
Fountain Grass and Feather Reed Grass are both popular summer flowering grasses that range in height from 2 to 6 feet. Each has a different growing and flowering habit. 
 
Carex likes wet conditions and comes in many varieties. Carex grayi is especially interesting with a spikey flower head. 
 
Japanese Forest Grass or Hakonechloa is best known for 'Aureola' which has yellow and green foliage. It has a pleasing draping habit and combines well with rocks in the border. 
 
Northern Sea Oats looks like wheat, with its seed heads shimmering in the wind.
 
If you want blue, try Blue Oat Grass, LIttle Blue Stem or Elijah Blue Fescue in your border!
 
And finally if you want something truly dramatic and 12 feet tall, we have hardy Pampas Grass.

The hot weather of midsummer is a challenge for lawn care. So far this summer, during most hot periods we have had adequate rainfall in the form of periodic thunderstorms. But it can also get very dry in late July and August. Here are some tips on how to care for your lawn without seeing your water bill head to the stratosphere.
 
The first thing to know is that our lawns are, in most cases, a mix of cool season grasses. These grasses are adapted to the cooler temperatures we have in the northern states. They grow best at 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. That's why we see our lawns getting green early in spring and remaining green well into the fall. However, we also may have dry, brown looking lawns in the heat of midsummer. This is because cool season grasses, while formulated to have maximum drought tolerance, will go dormant in hot weather if they are not well watered.  
 
This is actually a benefit. It means that you have a choice about how to care for your lawn in the hottest part of the season. You can stop watering and, in all but the most severe drought conditions, your lawn will become dormant but will remain viable and will spring back to life when the temperatures moderate. 
 
If you wish, you can also water your cool season turf in midsummer and keep it active and alive. If you make this choice the grass will need a deep watering (about 20 minutes) twice a week or so if it does not rain approximately an inch per week. Watering should be done in the coolest part of the day, preferably morning, so as little water as possible is lost to evaporation. Also, morning watering reduces the incidence of turf diseases stimulated by wet grass during the night time hours.
 
There is one very important thing to know about these choices: It's one or the other. You cannot successfully switch between them during the same season. If you decide to let your lawn become dormant, you will not be able to revive it successfully in the middle of the hot weather. If you decide to water when the heat strikes, you'll need to keep on watering throughout the season when it does not rain adequately.
 
Many people these days choose to allow their lawns to become dormant. This is the "greener" approach when we think about conservation, even though your lawn is brown!

 

It's time to consider the pests you are seeing in the garden. Before we talk of individual suspects, however, a word of caution. Garden pests are not created equal. All insects should be considered innocent until proven guilty!

 

Insects may be pests and they may not. It all depends on the balance of nature in your garden, the insects you have, and the damage you are observing. If your soil is healthy and you have not used many chemicals, the garden will achieve its own balance so that one particular kind of garden pest does not "take over" and cause excessive damage. So, when you can prove one type of insect guilty of causing harm, the cautious approach is to use the least harmful method possible. This approach helps to maintain the natural balance in your garden.
 
Okay, now on to the accused!
 
At this time of year, you may see mature Japanese beetles on your roses, tomatoes, beans or other plants. This pest is easily identified by its iridescent copper body and green thorax. The beetle damages plants by skeletonizing the foliage, that is, consuming only the leaf material between the veins. Japanese beetles can be controlled with soapy water spray if you have only a small number.If you have a large number of them, we have sprays to eradicate them. However it's best to begin a cycle of treating your lawn throughout the season to kill the larvae of these bugs before they mature. We can help you determine the right product for your infestation.
 
Slugs can cause a great deal of damage if they are present in large numbers. You will see them in wet areas under plant debris and you will likely see their damage most readily on hostas that are not slug resistant. If you find these pests we have organic and non-organic products to eliminate them and there are also a number of home remedies to control them. Eggshells spread around your plants will damage their bodies and kill them. A little bit of dry gravel will dry them out. Copper pennies under your hostas also work to deter them. Fresh beer placed in plastic carton lids around the garden will collect slugs. Weeding and clearing away debris will ruin their habitat.  However, don't heed the bad advice, readily available online, to avoid all composting in your garden to control slugs. Compost is very good for your soil and shouldn't be elimnated just to control slugs.
 
Because it was very wet in June, you may also see earwigs in the garden. They are recognized easily by their pincers. The bug is dark reddish brown and about ½ inch in length. Earwigs live in wet areas and eat dead bugs and decomposing plant material. They can damage plant material. If you have a large number and see evidence of damage to your vegetable crops, you may want to treat for them. However, as with all insects in the garden, it's important to evaluate whether their presence is causing damage.
Earwigs, since we are talking about them, also have a beneficial role in the landscape and have been shown to be important predators of aphids!