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" There are 31 days in July and among them are typically some of the hottest days of the summer. Flag Holiday Give Old Glory a good airing this July 4th, Independence Day. Soil Moisture Day time temperatures typically soar into the 80s and 90s in July. That means you have to keep your guard up to prevent dehydration damage to your lawn and plants (not to mention you, by the way). Rule of thumb: The cool-season grasses that cover most of the continental US require at least 1 in. of water per week. Adverse soil conditions, western/southerly hillside exposure and a prevailing wind will increase moisture evaporation and, hence, the need for moisture. Mower Height If you haven&amp;#039;t done so already, move your lawn mower up to its highest setting or the second from the top. Taller grass shades out weed growth and conserves soil moisture. Scrape the Mower Deck Tip your mower on its side and you may find sodden grass clinging to the under side of the deck leftover from spring cutting-as hard as that may be to believe. Scrape the deck with a putty knife. Blade Sharpening While you&amp;#039;ve got that mower on its side, examine the blade. Sharpen it if needed. Better yet, buy a spare blade and swap the blade out. Sharpen the old blade when you get a few minutes. In another month or so, swap the blades again and repeat the procedure. While You&amp;#039;re At It Now&amp;#039;s a good time to dress the edge of gardening hoes, shears and other tools. Trim Hedges Pick a cool morning or evening and shear hedges to shape. Got Paint?  Lots of folks tend to exterior house painting in July. Just remember to avoid painting in direct sun if you can avoid it. A strong, direct sun can too rapidly evaporate moisture or paint thinner out of the paint resulting in less strength and a lower quality of finish. Paint on the shady side of the building whenever possible. This allows the paint film to form at its optimal rate. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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