Garden Center at Richardson #556

The Home Depot 4th of July Sale
Greet Independence Day with a yard that's dressed to impress. Our big 4th of July Sale can help you do it. Trim hedges, shrubs, and lawns faster with new outdoor power equipment. Fertilizer and another round of mulch might be just what the doctor ordered to perk up your garden. Continue watering regularly to enjoy a stunning summer garden — and maybe even run through the sprinkler yourself. With such a beautiful garden and yard, it's easy to create holiday memories to look back on.



As summer rolls in, your garden and landscaping will weather more sun and heat than earlier in the season. That means you'll want to consider how to keep things cool with irrigation and shade. Just like we can get sunburned, grass can get scorched, flowers can dry out, and trees can lose their leaves prematurely. We've got guidance to make it through the hotter months with flying colors.

Grow a Healthy Lawn
If you're worried that your lawn has dry and crispy blades of grass, don't worry. It's possible that you've got a cool season grass that's going to go dormant and turn brown in the summertime heat. If that's the case, it won't be a patchy brown, but brown all over. 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 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 alive underground. Water dormant grass deeply once or twice every week, but don't fertilize it.

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 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 check with your finger. This might happen quicker than you'd think during extreme hot spells or drought. 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 bushes, trees, 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 shrubs — just aim the water at the roots. It'll help prolong the greenery and flowers and keep it from turning brown or yellow.

Also, check for damaged areas on the bushes and trees. Pests can wreak havoc on your greenery if you don't catch them in time. Look for leaves full of holes, strange raised scars on tree bark, or spots on bark or leaves. When your leaves look like lace, insects or caterpillars are eating them. Spots may indicate many 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 trees or bushes.

Grow Your Own Herbs
For fresh flavors to accent your homegrown produce, try herb gardening. It's easy to learn how to grow herbs indoors, but you can raise herbs outdoors, too. If you grow herbs outdoors, stick to heat-loving herbs that'll endure the summer temperatures, and consider a hanging herb garden.

Planting herbs in the ground can be tricky, as many of them — especially mint — are invasive and will take over your yard. So keep them in small decorative pots on a sunny window sill, porch, or even in wall planters. Herbs also work well in a hydroponic garden, which means they don't grow in regular black dirt. Instead, they grow in a mixture of rock chips, sand, or perlite.

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, read up on how to plant a tree, whether they're evergreens, deciduous tree saplings, or more mature trees.

A backyard forest 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 important to also consider how and where they'd fall if disease or a major storm weakened them. If you've planned accordingly, found trees you love, and know the perfect 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 knocking out those 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 Home Depot mobile app anywhere you like, or in the aisles of your Richardson store.