High summer has arrived. The downside is the hot and humid weather and oftentimes drought.

The upside is that fresh vegetables and fruits are available by the bushelfull. My father taught me that there's no better summer dinner than sweet corn and sliced tomatoes. He also taught me how to properly clean corn, and I'm so fastidious I won't let anyone help me husk the corn because "they don't do it right!" Husking corn always brings back good memories of my father.

Green apple pie, on the other hand, brings back memories of my maternal grandmother, who taught me that a big slice of green apple pie makes a great breakfast. She preferred "Northern Spy" apples when she could get them, but then she was from Ohio.

As a child I found a patch of wild blackberries and proudly brought some to her. Her response was "well go get more -- we'll make a pie." I was amazed she could make a pie out of the fruit I found in the woods, but she did, and it was great. Black raspberry pie remains my favorite, though, and you really need to make it yourself because it's not often on a menu.

So get out there and enjoy the fruits of summer with your friends and family and create some memories!

Powdery Mildew occurs during warm, humid weather. It's caused by a fungus that is white and powdery in appearance. Powdery mildew frequently attacks roses, lilacs, crape myrtles and crabapples. It usually doesn't harm the plant, and the problem will resolve itself when drier weather conditions arrive.

Avoid wetting the leaves of these plants if you water, and water early in the day so the plants will dry thoroughly before evening. Shade and overcrowding of plants can increase the amount of powdery mildew seen.

Pruning can be done this month on hedges and hollies and yews. Plan to be done before September. Pruning too late in the summer can cause winter damage to the tender new growth that emerges after pruning. This new growth doesn't have time to properly harden off for winter and may be winterkilled.

Lawns composed of cool-season grasses (like Kentucky blue and fescues) are supposed to be brown during the heat and drought of a normal summer. It's their dormant period.

Lawns that aren't given supplemental water will have deeper, stronger root systems. They will go dormant when the weather is hot and dry but will green up quickly when the rains come and temperatures cool down in September.

Tomato leaf roll is a normal condition for some tomato varieties. The plants roll their leaves up as daily temperatures rise. This is normal behavior and the leaves usually will remain rolled. It doesn't affect fruit set. However, temperature does. High temperatures kill pollen so fruit set is reduced during our hottest weather. However, there are some heirlooms and cultivars that are more tolerant of high temperatures and will continue to set fruit during really hot weather.

Overgrown or leggy annuals can be sheared back to half their height and fertilized with 5-10-5 or a side dressing of compost. You'll sacrifice a couple weeks of bloom, but they'll come back full and more attractive.

Japanese beetles hatch mid-June through mid-August. The adults remain active for about four to six weeks. Each female lays 40 to 60 eggs, which hatch in the soil. These grubs feed on grass roots until late September when they migrate down six to 18 inches deep in the soil.

They remain in an inactive state until late March or early April, when they move up and feed on grass roots again. By late May, the grubs are in a pupal stage and no longer feeding.

Control of Japanese beetles is very difficult because several sprays are needed to control adult feeding damage, and the sprays used are highly toxic to beneficial insects.

However, many plants will tolerate moderate defoliation. Traps are generally ineffective in controlling Japanese beetle populations. If grub damage to the lawn is severe, contact the Home & Garden Information Center at 1-800-342-2507 for current recommendations on grub control.

Extension Fact Sheets can be found online at www.plantfacts.ohio-state.edu. This site is a wonderful resource. They have fact sheets from 46 different colleges, universities and governmental institutions across the United States and Canada.

Leslie Gilbert is a Howard County master gardener. For more information on the Master Gardener program, call 410-313-1913.

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