Garden Center at Auburn,MA #2682

The Home Depot 4th of July Sale
Bring on 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 lush and green, freshly sheared shrubs, and bright blooms flourishing in your gardens 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 we stretch into summer, your garden and landscaping will weather more heat and sun than earlier in the season. You'll want to consider how to keep things cool with proper tending, shade, and irrigation. Just like we can get sunburned, perennials and grass can dry out, and trees can lose their leaves prematurely. We've got guidance to help your lawn, your garden, and your family 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 panic just yet. It's possible that you've got a cool season grass that goes to sleep and turns brown in the heat of the summer. If that's the case, it'll be an overall shade of brown, but not green with brown patches. Gently tug out a blade of grass to check the roots: If it comes right out, the grass is probably dead and will need to be replaced with new grass seed or sod. If it doesn't come right out, it's dormant. That means it's growing and resting underground. Dormant grass should be watered deeply once or twice a week — if it doesn't rain — 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. Be careful not to overwater, and let the lawn dry out after heavy rains before you get out the sprinkler or garden hose 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 it grow taller this time of the year, as cutting it too short isn't healthy for this kind of lawn.

Care for Your Shrubs and Trees
When you're making sure your garden is watered, don't forget about the trees, and bushes. 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 trees and shrubs — just make sure you aim the water at the roots. It'll help prolong the greenery 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 spots on bark or leaves, strange raised scars on tree bark, or leaves full of holes. When your leaves look like lace, insects or caterpillars 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 a severe case may kill all or part of your trees or bushes.

Vertical Vegetable Gardening
Grow produce vertically to conserve space. Many vegetable plants are vines and well-suited to climb a fence or trellis, 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 branches or stem.

Fasten your plant to a trellis 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 leaves and branches can sway in the breeze. Strawberries, tomatoes, squash, pumpkins and cucumbers 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 heavy produce. 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, remember this is a long-term commitment. When they're healthy, trees live many decades — and some for hundreds of years. Before you shop, plan so you know how to plant a tree, whether they're evergreens, deciduous tree saplings, or more mature trees.

A backyard woodland can be the stuff of dreams, but research the trees you're planting beforehand. Consider 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. 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 grilling, relaxing, gardening, or finishing those 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 Auburn, MA store.