Garden Center at West Mifflin #4115

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



As summer rolls in, your garden and landscaping will weather more heat and sun than earlier in the year. That means you'll want to consider how to keep things cool with irrigation, shade, and proper tending. You might also need ways to beat the heat. Let us help. At the Garden Center in West Mifflin, we've got what you need to make it through the hotter months.

Grow a Healthy Lawn
If you're concerned that your lawn has straw-like blades of grass, don't panic just yet. It's possible that you've got a cool season grass that goes dormant and turns brown in the summertime heat. If that's the case, it'll be an overall shade of brown, but not green with brown patches. See if the roots are alive by tugging on a blade of grass: If it comes right out, the grass is probably dead and will need to be replaced with new sod or grass seed. If the piece of grass doesn't come right out, it's dormant. That means it's growing and resting underground. Water dormant grass deeply once or twice per week, but don't fertilize it.

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, more or less, per week. Avoid overwatering, and let the lawn 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 drought. It's ok to let the grass grow a little taller this time of the year, as cutting your lawn too short isn't healthy for it.

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

Also, check for damaged areas on the trees 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 leaves or bark, or a network of raised lines on tree bark. When your leaves look like lace, insects or caterpillars are 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.

Vertical Vegetable 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 and watch them climb. Support the stem itself, as well as the junctions right 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 trellis, fence, or pole with twine, plant ties and wires, garden wire, or fabric strips. Be sure to attach each plant loosely. Then the branches and leaves can sway in the breeze and the stem has room to grow wider. Strawberries, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes need support as they bear fruit. Squash and melons require hammocks made of old nylons, string, a sling, or other stretchy fabric to support the heavy produce. These plants take up less space on the ground this way, which allows you to fit more plants or have walking room in between.

Trees as Natural Shade
Trees are a stunning and natural source of shade, 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, 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 woodland may be the stuff of dreams, but research what you're planting beforehand. Think about the full-grown size of the trees, how far the roots extend outward and how deep the taproots go. Plant your trees far from water pipes, as their strong roots will seek water and wend into piping to get it. As majestic as trees are, it's essential to also consider how and where they'd fall if a severe storm or disease weakened them. 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 Landscaping Supplies Today
No matter if your perfect summer includes relaxing, grilling, gardening, or finishing outdoor DIY projects, we've got the supplies you need to keep your days flowing with ease. 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 West Mifflin store.