Garden Center at Emeryville #627

The Home Depot 4th of July Sale
Greet Independence Day with a yard that's dressed to impress. Our huge 4th of July Sale can help you get it done. Freshly shaped hedges, a beautiful lawn that's growing green, and cheerful flowers punctuating your gardens can make your great outdoors feel like home. It's time to enjoy the festivities with your friends and family. With a yard like this, it's easy to create holiday memories to look back on — whether it's a luxurious day of lounging on patio furniture or a day-long feast of food cooked up just right on a new grill.



As the calendar turns to summer, your garden and landscaping will weather more sun and heat than earlier in the year. That means you'll need to consider how to keep things cool with shade, irrigation, and proper tending. Just like we can get sunburned, grass and annuals can get scorched, and trees can lose their leaves prematurely. Let us help. At the Garden Center in Emeryville, we've got what you need to make the most of summer.

Grow a Healthy Lawn
If you're concerned that your lawn has dry and crispy blades of grass, don't panic. It's possible that you've got a cool season grass that basically goes to sleep and turns brown in the blazing summer sun. If that's the case, it won't be a patchy brown, but brown all over. Gently tug out a blade of grass to check the roots: If it comes right out, the grass is likely dead and will need to be replaced with new sod or grass seed. If it doesn't pull right out, it's dormant. That means it's resting but still growing underground. Dormant grass should be watered deeply once or twice a week — if it doesn't rain — but not fertilized.

For warm-season grass that stays green in the summer, water a bit every few days and deeply once a week. The amount of water should add up to about an inch each week. Be careful not to overwater, and allow the lawn to dry out after heavy rains before you get out the sprinkler or hose again. If it's especially hot out, water when the top two inches of soil is dry to the touch. It's ok to let it grow a little taller this time of the year, as cutting your lawn too short isn't healthy for it.

Care for Your Trees and Shrubs
When you're making sure your garden is watered, don't forget about the trees, bushes, and shrubs. They may need less watering than vegetable plants or delicate flowers, but they can still get parched and dry in the summer heat. It's not hard to learn how to water trees and bushes — just make sure you aim the water at the roots. It'll help prolong the foliage and keep it from drying out.

Also, check for damaged areas on the trees, bushes, and shrubs. Pests can wreak havoc on your greenery if you don't catch them in time. Look for leaves full of holes, spots on bark or leaves, or a network of raised lines on tree bark. When your leaves look like lace, something is eating them. Spots may indicate a number of issues ranging from bugs to fungus. Those scar-like lines on tree bark could mean your tree is infected with borers, an insect that lays eggs inside the bark and then burrows out after it hatches. Any of these issues should be researched and cared for as soon as possible, as they may ultimately end the life of your tree or shrub.

Vertical Vegetable Gardening
For summer gardening, grow vegetables vertically to conserve space. Many vegetable plants are vines and well-suited to climb a fence or trellis, so plant them next to one. The key to success is supporting the fruit, stem, and branches. This is so the weight of the plant doesn't snap the branches or stem.

Fasten your plant to a tomato cage or pole with string, plant ties and wires, garden wire, or fabric strips. Be sure to attach each plant loosely. Then the stem has room to grow wider and the branches and leaves can sway in the breeze. Strawberries, cantaloupe, squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes need support as they bear fruit. Squash and melons require hammocks made of string, old nylons, a sling, or other stretchy fabric to support the weighty produce. All of these plants take up less space on the ground this way, which allows you to have walking room in between plants or fit more of them.

Trees as Natural Shade
Trees are a stunning and natural source of shade, and they can change the look of your yard. Whether you plant a few trees as accents, a few more to bear fruit, or a whole mini-forest, keep in mind this is a long-term commitment. Trees live many decades when they're healthy. Before you shop, look into how to plant a tree, whether they're evergreens, deciduous tree saplings, or more mature trees.

A backyard forest can be the stuff of dreams, but research the trees you're planting beforehand. Think about how deep the taproots go, how far the roots extend outward, and the full-grown size of the trees. Trees will always find the most accessible source of water, so be sure to plant them away from the water lines so they won't be damaged by moisture-seeking roots. A tree with a full canopy of leaves catches wind like a sail, so make sure it's planted a safe distance from your home. If you've planned accordingly, found trees you love, and know the best places to put them, get planting. That way, you can enjoy natural shade and the soothing sound of leaves rustling in the breeze sooner rather than later.

Find Your Summertime Lawn Care Supplies Today
No matter if your perfect summer includes gardening, relaxing, grilling, or starting outdoor DIY projects, we've got you covered. Make the most of these early mornings and lengthy evenings to enjoy all the season has to offer. Shop online at your leisure, on our app anywhere you like, or in the aisles of your Emeryville store.