1. Mulch and water: Your vegetable garden, landscape, flowerbeds and trees need some help to make it through this torrid month. Mulch generously, and water deeply.

2. Lawn care: Your grass also needs deep, infrequent watering (5 day schedule) and keep the cutting height for your lawnmower as high as possible. This will help shade the roots and conserve water.

3. Vegetables: This is the month to start sweet corn, okra, snap beans, cream peas and black-eyed peas from seed. Because the first frost (...