JUNE
June is the month to PLANT, HARVEST and TRIM box hedges; attention turns to the FRUIT GARDEN and the GREENHOUSE.
CHECKLIST OF KEY TASKS FOR JUNE:
PATIOS & BORDERS
Hang up hanging baskets for colour and scent all summer.
Winter flowering pansies and spring flowering wallflowers should be replaced with summer flowering bedding plants now.
They may still have some blooms but they will quickly look scruffy as temperatures climb during summer.
Lift and divide clumps of primroses and polyanthus. Heel them in a shady place for summer and they can be replanted in your borders again in autumn.
Continue planting out summer flowering bedding plants, such as long flowering pelargoniums, busy lizzies, petunias and begonias.
Sow delphiniums, lupins and foxgloves; keeping them cool will help germination at this time of year. Sow wall flowers, stocks and
sweet William seeds in drills for bedding out in the autumn.
Pick sweet peas regularly so that they are not allowed to set seed, because as soon as seeds form, the flowers will get smaller and there will be less produced.
Plant out dahlias.
Cut flower stems off euphorbias as they become straw coloured, but do cover your skin against the irritating sap of this plant.
TREES & SHRUBS
New shoots on any climbers, especially clematis, should be tied to supports to prevent them breaking.
Old early flowering clematis can be cut back hard if necessary.
Check roses regularly for greenfly, black spot and mildew and remove dead flower heads from roses regularly.
Support border plants this month.
PLANTING & PRUNING
Prune magnolias this month.
Box hedges and topiary are best trimmed this month and the clippings can be mixed with lawn mowings to improve your compost.
Check grafted plants for suckers growing from the rootstock as, if left, they can rapidly outgrow the top of the plant; this includes roses,
fruit trees, viburnums, lilacs, maples and most ornamental trees.
Remove the suckers as close to the roots as possible so that there is no stump left from which more suckers can grow.
Make certain that newly planted trees and shrubs are getting enough water and that it is actually reaching the roots as trees need a minimum of two gallons a week.
Dead-head flowers from rhododendrons and azaleas to improve their shape.
Trim over long shoots on camellias. All these must be watered and fed well now as next year's buds are already forming.
FRUIT GARDEN
Spray apples to stop codling moth grubs boring into your fruit.
Pheromone traps give good biological control but need to be installed early.
Prune plums and cherries.
Tie and support new shoots.
Thin out apples and pears after the natural thinning process which will begin soon. Newly-planted fruit canes and bushes are should be well-watered.
Check gooseberries and if you see sawfly caterpillars, pick them off immediately.
New shoots on fig trees will benefit from being pinched back to about 4-6".
Mulch strawberry fruits as they develop.
Straw is good if you can get it.
Remove unwanted new runners or place some of them into the rows to root to form new plants.
Net soft fruit to protect from birds.
Prune out the first shoots that show signs of mildew on apple trees.
This over-wintering infection can spread to the rest of the tree.
Check blackcurrants for big bud mite damage (swollen buds).
The mites (Cecidophyopsis ribis) infest the buds, and infect them with a virus, known as ‘reversion’, causing them to swell
to an abnormal spherical shape known as 'big bud'. There is no control for this; mites may have infected your plants
with blackcurrant virus so destroy the plants and replant next year.
Stop harvesting forced rhubarb crowns to give time to recover.
VEGETABLE GARDEN
Make sure that your potatoes don't run short of moisture at this time.
The new tubers should be forming now and will respond well to a thorough watering.
Plant out annual herbs; basil will prefer a very sheltered spot. Plant outdoor tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes and marrows,
which can all be easily grown in large pots or grow-bags on the patio.
First early potatoes should be ready for lifting now.
If there are flowers showing and the leaves are starting to go yellow, that's a sure sign that there are big enough tubers underneath to lift.
Snap off side shoots from cordon non-bushy tomatoes. Stake and support.
Harvest cucumber and courgette plants regularly. If you leave them on the plant it will slow down the production of more.
Autumn planted winter hardy onions and shallots may be ready to harvest. Let the skins ripen thoroughly in the sun as they store better then.
Main crop potatoes should be earthed up so as to avoid the tubers going green in the light.
Plant out pumpkins and squashes, with some good garden compost.
Sow more French beans and mange-tout. Like salad crops, both benefit from successional sowing.
Plant winter brassicas in gaps now available where early peas and beans have been harvested.
LAWNS, HEDGES & PATHS
Keep the lawnmower blade at a high level to resist dry spells. Apply a summer feed that is high in nitrogen.
Tidy the edges with a lawn edging knife and keep them regularly cut.
THE GREENHOUSE
Wetting the floor regularly will also lower the temperature of the greenhouse, but don't do it late in the day.
Ventilate on a regular basis. If it is still too hot inside, keep the doors open too.
It is usually at this time of year that whitefly and red spider mite populations in the greenhouse explode so, before that happens, order some natural predators to control these difficult pests the natural way.
Regularly remove side shoots from tomato plants, unless the plant is a bush variety.
Gradually increase watering and ventilation as they grow bigger and the days get warmer.
Support plants well and gradually remove the lower leaves as they turn brown.
If you haven't already done it put cymbidium orchids, yucca, ficus, citrus and some cacti outside for the summer, but avoid full sun to start with.
INDOOR PLANTS
Some indoor plants that have outgrown their pots will benefit from being re-potted into larger pots this month.
Many indoor plants will benefit from the summer outside. Make sure that they are put in a shady spot and watered well.
Softwood cuttings of a wide range of varieties can be taken now.
SOIL
Weed control with regular use of the hoe, particularly in dry weather can help at this time of year.
Mulch fruit and vegetables at this time of year.
PONDS
Thin out oxygenating weed in ponds to leave at least a third of the water surface covered which provides shade and shelter for wildlife.
Plant water lilies this month.
Make sure that water margin and bog plants are getting enough water; adding mulch may help.
WILDLIFE
Don't forget to keep plenty of water out for the birds to drink and to bathe in regularly; out of reach of cats of course
Continue feeding the birds. Dried mealworms can be used if you have a problem with squirrels.
Remember to check hedges for nests before trimming them. If there are nests there, delay until fledglings have flown.
Delay tidying up wildflowers after they have finished flowering. Let them spread their seeds before you do.
GARDEN CHORES FOR JUNE:
CHECKLIST OF KEY TASKS FOR JUNE:
- Plant and hang up your hanging baskets.
- Plant out bedding plants and sow perennial seeds.
- Pick sweet peas.
- Trim box hedges this month.
- Softwood cuttings can be taken this month.
- Net soft fruits.
- Earth up potatoes.
- Plant pumpkins and squashes.
- Harvest cucumbers and courgettes.
- Plant water lilies this month.
PATIOS & BORDERS
Hang up hanging baskets for colour and scent all summer.
Winter flowering pansies and spring flowering wallflowers should be replaced with summer flowering bedding plants now.
They may still have some blooms but they will quickly look scruffy as temperatures climb during summer.
Lift and divide clumps of primroses and polyanthus. Heel them in a shady place for summer and they can be replanted in your borders again in autumn.
Continue planting out summer flowering bedding plants, such as long flowering pelargoniums, busy lizzies, petunias and begonias.
Sow delphiniums, lupins and foxgloves; keeping them cool will help germination at this time of year. Sow wall flowers, stocks and
sweet William seeds in drills for bedding out in the autumn.
Pick sweet peas regularly so that they are not allowed to set seed, because as soon as seeds form, the flowers will get smaller and there will be less produced.
Plant out dahlias.
Cut flower stems off euphorbias as they become straw coloured, but do cover your skin against the irritating sap of this plant.
TREES & SHRUBS
New shoots on any climbers, especially clematis, should be tied to supports to prevent them breaking.
Old early flowering clematis can be cut back hard if necessary.
Check roses regularly for greenfly, black spot and mildew and remove dead flower heads from roses regularly.
Support border plants this month.
PLANTING & PRUNING
Prune magnolias this month.
Box hedges and topiary are best trimmed this month and the clippings can be mixed with lawn mowings to improve your compost.
Check grafted plants for suckers growing from the rootstock as, if left, they can rapidly outgrow the top of the plant; this includes roses,
fruit trees, viburnums, lilacs, maples and most ornamental trees.
Remove the suckers as close to the roots as possible so that there is no stump left from which more suckers can grow.
Make certain that newly planted trees and shrubs are getting enough water and that it is actually reaching the roots as trees need a minimum of two gallons a week.
Dead-head flowers from rhododendrons and azaleas to improve their shape.
Trim over long shoots on camellias. All these must be watered and fed well now as next year's buds are already forming.
FRUIT GARDEN
Spray apples to stop codling moth grubs boring into your fruit.
Pheromone traps give good biological control but need to be installed early.
Prune plums and cherries.
Tie and support new shoots.
Thin out apples and pears after the natural thinning process which will begin soon. Newly-planted fruit canes and bushes are should be well-watered.
Check gooseberries and if you see sawfly caterpillars, pick them off immediately.
New shoots on fig trees will benefit from being pinched back to about 4-6".
Mulch strawberry fruits as they develop.
Straw is good if you can get it.
Remove unwanted new runners or place some of them into the rows to root to form new plants.
Net soft fruit to protect from birds.
Prune out the first shoots that show signs of mildew on apple trees.
This over-wintering infection can spread to the rest of the tree.
Check blackcurrants for big bud mite damage (swollen buds).
The mites (Cecidophyopsis ribis) infest the buds, and infect them with a virus, known as ‘reversion’, causing them to swell
to an abnormal spherical shape known as 'big bud'. There is no control for this; mites may have infected your plants
with blackcurrant virus so destroy the plants and replant next year.
Stop harvesting forced rhubarb crowns to give time to recover.
VEGETABLE GARDEN
Make sure that your potatoes don't run short of moisture at this time.
The new tubers should be forming now and will respond well to a thorough watering.
Plant out annual herbs; basil will prefer a very sheltered spot. Plant outdoor tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes and marrows,
which can all be easily grown in large pots or grow-bags on the patio.
First early potatoes should be ready for lifting now.
If there are flowers showing and the leaves are starting to go yellow, that's a sure sign that there are big enough tubers underneath to lift.
Snap off side shoots from cordon non-bushy tomatoes. Stake and support.
Harvest cucumber and courgette plants regularly. If you leave them on the plant it will slow down the production of more.
Autumn planted winter hardy onions and shallots may be ready to harvest. Let the skins ripen thoroughly in the sun as they store better then.
Main crop potatoes should be earthed up so as to avoid the tubers going green in the light.
Plant out pumpkins and squashes, with some good garden compost.
Sow more French beans and mange-tout. Like salad crops, both benefit from successional sowing.
Plant winter brassicas in gaps now available where early peas and beans have been harvested.
LAWNS, HEDGES & PATHS
Keep the lawnmower blade at a high level to resist dry spells. Apply a summer feed that is high in nitrogen.
Tidy the edges with a lawn edging knife and keep them regularly cut.
THE GREENHOUSE
Wetting the floor regularly will also lower the temperature of the greenhouse, but don't do it late in the day.
Ventilate on a regular basis. If it is still too hot inside, keep the doors open too.
It is usually at this time of year that whitefly and red spider mite populations in the greenhouse explode so, before that happens, order some natural predators to control these difficult pests the natural way.
Regularly remove side shoots from tomato plants, unless the plant is a bush variety.
Gradually increase watering and ventilation as they grow bigger and the days get warmer.
Support plants well and gradually remove the lower leaves as they turn brown.
If you haven't already done it put cymbidium orchids, yucca, ficus, citrus and some cacti outside for the summer, but avoid full sun to start with.
INDOOR PLANTS
Some indoor plants that have outgrown their pots will benefit from being re-potted into larger pots this month.
Many indoor plants will benefit from the summer outside. Make sure that they are put in a shady spot and watered well.
Softwood cuttings of a wide range of varieties can be taken now.
SOIL
Weed control with regular use of the hoe, particularly in dry weather can help at this time of year.
Mulch fruit and vegetables at this time of year.
PONDS
Thin out oxygenating weed in ponds to leave at least a third of the water surface covered which provides shade and shelter for wildlife.
Plant water lilies this month.
Make sure that water margin and bog plants are getting enough water; adding mulch may help.
WILDLIFE
Don't forget to keep plenty of water out for the birds to drink and to bathe in regularly; out of reach of cats of course
Continue feeding the birds. Dried mealworms can be used if you have a problem with squirrels.
Remember to check hedges for nests before trimming them. If there are nests there, delay until fledglings have flown.
Delay tidying up wildflowers after they have finished flowering. Let them spread their seeds before you do.
GARDEN CHORES FOR JUNE:
- Stake tall plants to give them support.
- Ensure that water is collected to prepare for possible dry spells from June onwards.