Garden Center at East Port Richey #6865

Set Up For Summertime
As summer stretches on, your garden and landscaping will weather more heat and sun than earlier in the year. That means you'll need to consider how to keep things cool with irrigation, shade, and proper tending. You might also need ways to beat the heat. We can help. At The Home Depot East Port Richey Garden Center, we've got what you need to make the most of summer.

Grow a Healthy Lawn
If you're worried that your lawn has crispy and brown blades of grass, don't panic. 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 brown overall instead of in patches. Gently pull out a blade of grass to check if it’s still got live roots: If it comes right out, the grass is likely dead and you'll need to replace it. If it doesn't pull right out, it's dormant. That means it's growing and resting under the ground. Dormant grass should be watered deeply once or twice a week 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, more or less, each week. Take care not to overwater, and let the lawn dry out after heavy rains before you get out the sprinkler or hose again. Water your lawn 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 extreme hot spells or periods of drought. It's ok to let it grow a little taller in the summer, as cutting your lawn too short isn't healthy for it.

Care for Your Trees and Shrubs
When you're watering your vegetable garden, don't forget about the trees and shrubs. They may need less watering than delicate flowers or vegetable plants, but they can still dry out in the hot sun. It's easy to learn how to water shrubs and trees — just be sure to aim the water at the roots. It'll help prolong the greenery and keep it from turning brown or yellow. Also, check for damage on your trees and shrubs. Pests can destroy your greenery if you don't catch them in time.

Look for leaves full of holes, spots on leaves or bark, or strange raised scars on the bark that look like artistic decoration. 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, which are insects that lay eggs inside the bark and then burrow out after they hatch. Research and care for any of these issues as soon as possible, as they may ultimately end the life of your tree.

Grow Your Own Herbs
Get fresh flavors to accent garden-fresh vegetables with herb gardening. They're generally low-maintenance. It's easy to learn how to grow herbs indoors, but you can raise them outside, too. If you grow herbs outdoors, stick to heat-loving herbs that'll endure the summer temperatures, and consider a hanging herb garden. Read our herb gardening guide for beginners for more info.

Planting herbs in the ground can be tricky, as many of them — especially mint — are invasive and will take over your lawn. Avoid a yard of volunteer herbs when you just keep them in decorative plant pots on a sunny window sill, porch, or even in wall planters. Herbs also work as a hydroponic garden, which doesn't use soil. Instead, they grow in a mixture of rock chips, perlite, or sand.

Trees as Natural Shade
Trees are the ultimate 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, plan so you know how to plant a tree — whether they're evergreens, deciduous tree saplings, or more mature trees.

Although trees framing a house may look picturesque, you should research the specifics of those trees before you plant them. Consider how deep the taproots go, the full-grown size of the trees you want, and how far the root ball extends outward. Trees will always find the easiest source of water, so be sure to plant them away from your water pipes to avoid roots growing into them. 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 carefully planned, found trees you love, and know the perfect places to put them, get planting. That way, you can enjoy the leaves rustling in the breeze and dappled shade sooner rather than later.

Find Your Summertime Supplies Today
No matter if your perfect summer includes gardening, relaxing, or starting those outdoor DIY projects, we've got everything to keep you covered. Make the most of long evenings and early mornings to enjoy all the season has to offer. Shop online, on our app anywhere you like, or in the aisles of your East Port Richey store.