They say there ?ain?t no cure for the summertime blues?, and what a mixed bag we have had to date, prolonged drought heavy showers and a storm that could not make up its mind, a Harvey Wallbanger it was not! Liquid sunshine certainly is a tonic, with immediate response from lawns, plants and, of course, weeds.

Such action requires a reaction, especially if the landscape is to achieve optimum growth for the rest of the growing season. The usual tasks include mowing, fertilising, pest and disease control, starting to grow annuals and most importantly pruning.

Heavy rains will have leached out plant nutrients and therefore an application of fertiliser will not go amiss; lawns if in good condition with a healthy sward can be given a higher nitrogen content, a mix with trace elements gives long term advantages from leaching as they are only required in small amounts. I have discussed this in previous articles, look at the main three numbers on the information label these represent the NPK ratio ? nitrogen, phosphorous and potash ? and compare weight of bag with the NPK ratio.

If, for example, you have the choice of two types of mix, a 50lb bag of 10-5-10 for $25 or a 17-3-11 for $30 you would be getting a better deal with the higher nitrogen.

Another point to look out for which also impacts cost, is ?coated? fertilisers will take longer to break down and deliver a more even distribution than non-coated which can have a tendency to deliver a surge of nutrients, which can cause problems during periods of drought or when a plant is stressed.

A final word when applying fertilisers, read the instructions ? they are given for the simple reason the recommended rate has been tried and tested in the field and is found to be the optimum rate for best results.

Young growth is always an invitation for chewing insects to have a meal and humid days and nights can encourage pest and diseases; take time out to check for problems, such as chewed foliage, aphid infestation; powdery discoloration on leaves etc are an indication that you have a problem.

Chemicals should be treated with respect and instructions followed as per given, some chemicals can be mixed with others, but not all, this information is available on the labels.

Check all parts of the plant for problems, many problems that appear as drooping foliage are root related; whilst leaf discoloration can be fungal or pest induced.

Check with a professional if you are not sure the cost of advice far outweighs the cost of ? spreading pest and disease problems ? and ultimately replacing plants.

To get a head start for early planting sow annuals as soon as fresh seed is available.

Seeding can be done in trays and young seedlings thinned out after germination in to three- to four-inch pots and grown on for planting once established; larger seed can be directly sown ? several seeds per pot, and thinned to one plant after germination ? and grown on to planting time. Whichever method is used, schedule your programme to start a new batch of seedlings immediately after plant is completed.

Grow these on until they are just coming into flower and then plant out, regardless of the state of the previous batch of plants. This method will ensure you have a continuity of flowers throughout the season, and assists in subduing weed growth, by having a carpet bedding schedule.

Regular readers of this column will know how concerned I am with the way plants are pruned; unfortunately I see very few jobs where pruning is done correctly.

Pruning should be seriously considered at this time of year if for no other reason than to reduce damage from hurricane winds which are prevalent at this time of year.

Large trees are especially susceptible to wind damage, at this time of year more than any other, with a heavy canopy of growth and foliage, large trees become ?prime? targets for damage, being uprooted or severely damaged with loss of limbs. By thinning out heavy growth wind damage can be reduced dramatically, as wind gusts will ?filter through the more ?open? canopy, with much reduced damage being inflicted. The downing of a mature tree in the landscape is a great loss and takes years to recover or if replaced to mature.

Plants in general should be given some attention with regard to thinning out growth; we still have many weeks of growing season left, therefore new growth is ongoing for the next two to three months.

Use sharp tools for pruning and make clean cuts, snags can cause problems for future growth.

Whilst pruning check plants for the problems mentioned above, pest and disease is always around and not always obvious, it is time well spent to pay attention to detail when pruning, that way you can stay a cut above the rest!

We may have had the summer time blues, but in the long term, the answer my friend is lying in the wind.