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As you pick, PRUNE. This rule applies to raspberries and blackberry type berries such as boysenberries. The part of a cane berry that produces fruit will never bloom again so it needs to be removed as soon as possible. This is generally the entire stem. In the case of “ever bearing” raspberries it might be only the tip of the cane that fruits in fall. The lower part will fruit next summer and then need removing. Water wisely. Plants in containers might need water every day, but established plants in the ground do better with deep watering once or twice a week, instead of a little every day or every other day. New plants in the landscape will need special attention. Hot and dry days create the perfect conditions for spider mites in evergreen plants. Wash the foliage with a high- pressure hose to reduce the populations. Spring flowering bulbs, such as tulips and daffodils, can be dug and divided if necessary. Unless they are crowded and showing loss of vigor, it is best to leave them in place. If you dig them, store and plant in fall. In the garden, plant carrots, lettuce, beets, cauliflower, broccoli, and bush beans for a fall crop. You will find that seeds germinate better in summer than spring due to soil temperature. Also some pests, like root maggots, are out of season. Once the seeds are wet, keep moist until sprouted. Summer weather is ideal for cutworms in flowers and vegetables, maggots and codling moth in apples, caterpillars in vegetables, and aphids on roses. Depending on how much fertilizer you have applied to your lawn already, you might need a summer application. Water it in well after application. A slow release type is best. Avoid weed and feed. Do not worry about fruit drop from your fruit tree, This is natural. Orchard growers call this “June Drop” for some reason. After this you should thin to one or two fruits per cluster for apples and pears---and space plums and peaches to eight inches apart. This lessens the total load on branches and enhances fruit size and quality.
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