Grayson County Master Gardeners are collaborating to present weekly the best information to help local gardeners know what to watch for in the garden.

This week in your garden

Plant marigolds, cosmos, vinca (periwinkles), cleome, zinnias, purslane and portulaca for summer color for these hot days.

Plant the annual copper plants now so they have time to grow before they get their reddish fall color. They like sun and can take the heat.

Cut off faded flowers before they set seed. Deadheading will promote new growth and more flowers. When a plant starts using energy to mature seeds, its blooming slows down or stops.

Fertilize chrysanthemums and pinch them back to make them bushier and provide more fall blooms. Buds will begin setting in August.

If hydrangeas need pruning, cut them back right after blooming. Flower buds are set in late summer or early fall. If you prune in fall or late winter, you will lose next year's flowers.

Continue watering hanging baskets. Frequent watering leaches nutrients from the soil. Use water soluble fertilizer on a regular schedule for healthy growth.

Warm season lawns are growing rapidly now and need frequent mowing. The best lawns are mowed often. With frequent mowing, you can leave the clippings on the lawn. Remove only one-third of the leaf blade in any one mowing. Mowing may need to be done every 5-6 days instead of weekly. Removing more than one-third of the blades stresses the lawn and clippings will remain visible. Leaving the clippings on the lawn provides valuable nutrients to your grass plants.

Contact Master Gardeners

For more information on the local growing patterns, seasonal gardening activities or general garden questions, call the Grayson County Master Gardeners' office at 903-813-4204 or e-mail to mastergardeners@co.grayson.tx.us.

Individuals are welcome to call or stop by the office, located at the Grayson County Extension office on the second floor of the Grayson County Courthouse in Sherman.

Office hours are 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and also from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursdays. Call any time to leave a message and a Master Gardener will return your call.

The Grayson County Master Gardeners have graduated from the Texas A&M Master Gardener course and continue with additional training in order to provide you with the information you need to have a trouble-free landscape.