Gardening tips for June

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • June 10, 2008 - 21:29

Prune and shape spring-flowering plants and deadhead summer ones to encourage more growth.

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June is a great time to be outside: the weather is warm, but without the prolonged heat and humidity that’s sure to follow. Annuals and perennials are blooming, and if you’re lucky enough to have planted an early edible garden, you can harvest salad greens, spinach, peas and strawberries.

Even if you’re behind schedule with your gardening plans, there’s still time to do what you need to do before the dog days of summer arrive, so take the time to relax in your garden and revel in its beauty.

General gardening tips
June is a great time to plant. Plants and trees that provide colour in the month of June include azaleas, hydrangeas, rhododendrons, spireas and butterfly bush.

It’s a great time to plant annuals, perennials and all trees and shrubs. Nurseries have many beautiful annuals to choose from, including Geraniums, Impatiens, Marigolds, Petunias, Vinca, Salvia and many other plants. Perennials that provide interest in the month of June include daylilies, astilbe, rudbeckia, yarrow, foxgolve and much more.
Fertilise annuals, perennials and flowering shrubs and trees with a slow-release plant food that contains nitrogen, sulfate of potash, iron and other micro-nutrients for overall plant growth and development.

Check all plants, especially newly planted ones, for water on a regular basis. Water deeply and thoroughly as needed.

Now is a great time to install a water garden. Water features will allow you to enjoy the soothing sights and sounds of water.

Fruit and vegetable gardens
It’s a great time to plant apple, pear, peach and all other fruit trees. Fruit trees require two different varieties to pollinate properly. Be aware of this and ask nursery professionals to guide you in selecting varieties.

You can also plant vegetables in containers and grow them on decks, patios or other small spaces. Use potting mix when planting.

Fruit trees need to be sprayed on a regular schedule, although you do not spray your fruit trees when the blossoms are wide open.

It’s a great time to plant strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.
Fertilise fruits and vegetables with a good quality, slow-release vegetable food.
Time to stake tomatoes and spray them if necessary to prevent disease problems.

Lawns
June is the time to apply a fungicide to the lawn to control turf diseases such as a brown patch and others
.
Tips on applying weed killer:
Do not apply weed controls on newly seeded areas, windy days or near waterways.
Do not allow children or pets to play on lawns freshly applied with weed controls. It is best to wait one week.
Do not apply weed controls when temperatures are above 29°C (85°F).
Always follow the label directions.

House plants
You can move houseplants outside to the deck or patio and enjoy them outdoors for the summer. It is best to gradually introduce them to more direct sunlight to prevent the leaves from being burned.

If needed, re-pot root bound houseplants to a larger pot. Use potting mix when repotting houseplants.

Hibiscus and jasmine are just some of the flowering tropical plants you can add to your deck, patio or balcony.

Flower beds, shrubs, trees and vegetable gardens should also be getting at least one inch of water a week. Water in the morning to avoid disease problems.

Your plants in pots and hanging baskets need more frequent watering. Check soil daily. Frequent watering tends to wash nutrients out of the soil quickly, so fertilise regularly.
It’s still a good time to plant container grown trees, shrubs, groundcovers, perennials and annuals. Remember that newly planted plants need more regular watering than established plants.

Attract beneficial insects to your garden by planting a variety of flowering annuals and perennials to bloom over the entire growing season.

Prune and shape spring-flowering trees and shrubs now. Do not prune summer-blooming shrubs, or you’ll prune off flower buds. Wait until after they bloom.

Deadhead to tidy up your flowering plants and encourage them to bloom more. Many annuals – such as petunias, cosmos, dianthus, dahlias, zinnias and geraniums – will stop blooming if allowed to go to seed. Others, such as impatiens and flowering vinca, clean themselves and do not need to be deadheaded.