Garden Center at Tomball #6512

The Home Depot 4th of July Sale
Bring on the Fourth with the yard of your dreams. Our huge 4th of July Sale can help you do it. Cheerful flowers punctuating your gardens, a gorgeous lawn that's growing green and lush, and freshly pruned hedges can make your great outdoors feel like home. It's time to enjoy the festivities with your family and friends. Take the time to make 4th of July memories — 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 summer rolls in, your landscaping and garden will weather more intense heat and UV rays than earlier in the year. You'll need to consider how to keep things cool. Just like we can get sunburned, plants can dry out, grass can get scorched, and trees can lose their leaves prematurely. We've got advice to make it through the hotter months.

Grow a Healthy Lawn
If you're worried that your lawn has brown and crispy blades of grass, don't worry just yet. It's possible that you've got a cool season grass that's going to go dormant and turn brown in the blazing summer sun. If that's the case, it'll be brown, but not in patches. See if the roots are alive by tugging on a blade of grass: 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 come right out, it's dormant. That means it's growing and resting beneath the surface. Dormant grass should be watered deeply once or twice a week but not fertilized.

Warm-season grass stays green in the summer. If you have this kind of lawn, water it deeply once a week. Give it another drink every day or two, depending on your weather. Avoid overwatering, and allow the lawn to dry out after heavy rains before you get out the hose or sprinkler again. Water your yard when the top two inches of soil is dry to the touch. You can test with your finger. This might happen quicker than you'd think during periods of drought or extreme hot spells. It's ok to let the grass grow a little taller this time of the year, as cutting it too short isn't healthy for this kind of lawn.

Care for Your Trees and Shrubs
When you're making sure your garden is watered, don't forget about the shrubs and trees. 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 grow strong leaves and flowers. If it's a fruiting tree, it'll also help give it enough moisture to put out blossoms and fruit and keep it from drying out.

Also, check for damaged areas on the trees and bushes. Pests can wreak havoc on your greenery if you don't catch them in time. Look for spots on bark or leaves, holes in leaves, or a network of raised lines on tree bark. When your leaves look like lace, caterpillars or insects are eating them. Spots may indicate several issues ranging from fungus to bugs. 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 end the life of your shrub or tree.

Vertical Edible Gardening
If you like to grow your own food, take it vertical and consider growing organically. Many vegetable plants are vines and well-suited to climb a trellis or fence, so plant them next to one. Support the stem itself, as well as the junctions just below where the branches grow off the stem. This is so the weight of the plant doesn't snap the stem or branches.

Fasten the plant to a pole or tomato cage with string, plant ties and wires, garden wire, or fabric strips. Be sure to attach each plant loosely. Then the leaves and branches can sway in the breeze and the stem has room to grow wider. Strawberry, watermelon, squash, cucumber, and tomato plants need support as they bear fruit. Melons and squash 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 fit even more plants or have walking room in between.

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 or a small forest, remember this is a long-term commitment. When they're healthy, trees live many decades — and some for hundreds of years. Before you shop, read up on how to plant a tree, whether they're deciduous trees, evergreen saplings, or more mature trees.

A backyard forest can be the stuff of dreams, but research what you're planting beforehand. Consider how far the root ball extends outward, the full-grown size of the trees, and how deep the taproots go. Plant your trees far from underground plumbing, as their strong roots will seek water and wend into piping to get it. 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 ideal 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 relaxing, grilling, gardening, or completing 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 Home Depot mobile app anywhere you like, or in the aisles of your Tomball store.