Proper Cutting and Pruning
Proper cutting of roses, pruning strawberry runners, and washing produce are some of the gardening tips for this month.  

Any fertilizer you've applied to annuals in containers has probably washed out of the soil in rain, so give them another dose. Clip off spent blooms and cut some stems way back to encourage lots of new growth. Do this every couple of weeks. 

If you come home to a dried-out container planting, don't despair. Some plants will wilt dramatically, but come back once moistened. If the water you add from the top pours right through, place the entire container in a saucer or tray of water and let the water soak into the soil from below. If it's still hot and sunny out, place the plant in a shady, cool spot for a few days. Remove damaged foliage and see if it develops new growth. 

Cut the shortest stems possible when cutting rose flowers because the more foliage you leave on the plant, the better for photosynthesis, and the faster it will rebloom. Experts now recommend cutting above a 3-leaflet leaf instead of lower down the stem at a 5-leaflet leaf.