June is a glorious time in the garden—long days, buzzing bees and blooms in full swing. But with all that growth comes a bit of responsibility. Whether you’re nurturing a veg patch, flower beds or a container garden, there are a few key tasks that will help your garden thrive through the summer.
First and foremost, watering becomes essential as the weather warms up. It’s best to water your plants either early in the morning or later in the evening when the sun is low, to prevent evaporation. Focus on watering deeply and less frequently, which encourages stronger root growth. Containers and hanging baskets may need daily attention, as they dry out much faster than garden beds.
Keeping your plants looking their best also means deadheading flowers regularly. Removing spent blooms from annuals such as petunias or marigolds not only keeps the garden tidy but also encourages the plants to produce more flowers. It’s a simple task that can make a noticeable difference in the vibrancy of your garden.
Feeding your plants is also vital in June, when growth is at its peak. A general-purpose liquid feed applied every 10 to 14 days will keep most plants thriving, while crops like tomatoes and cucumbers benefit from a high-potash feed to promote flowering and fruiting. Nourished plants are better equipped to cope with the heat and produce beautiful blooms or delicious harvests.
Mulching is another great way to retain soil moisture and suppress weeds. Applying compost, bark or straw around your plants helps the soil stay cool and damp beneath the surface. At the same time, it’s wise to keep on top of weeding. Pulling weeds before they set seed will save you a lot of trouble later in the season.
Many plants need support as they grow taller. Climbing vegetables such as beans and peas or ornamental sweet peas, will need to be tied in gently to canes or trellises. Be sure to check ties regularly to ensure they’re not cutting into the stems as the plants grow thicker.
June often brings the first real bounty from the garden. Harvesting crops like lettuce, radishes, peas and strawberries as soon as they’re ripe encourages the plants to produce more. And don’t let courgettes get ahead of you—they can turn into marrows overnight if you’re not paying attention!
As temperatures rise, pests become more active. Watch for aphids clustering on new growth, and consider using insecticidal soap or encouraging natural predators like ladybirds. Slugs and snails also love the damp and the dark, so take action with beer traps, copper tape or an evening patrol if they’re becoming a problem.
Although much of the garden is already in full swing, it’s not too late to keep sowing. June is a great time to sow crops like carrots, beetroot, lettuce and spring onions to ensure continued harvests later in the season. Succession sowing helps maintain a steady flow of vegetables and avoids gluts.
This is also a good time to tidy up hedges and shape shrubs. Evergreen hedges will benefit from their first trim of the year, and spring-flowering shrubs like forsythia or lilac can be pruned now that their blooms have faded. A bit of shaping now will keep your garden looking neat and well cared for.
Lastly—and perhaps most importantly—don’t forget to enjoy it all. June is a magical month in the garden. Whether you’re sipping tea among the roses, hosting a garden picnic or simply listening to the bees buzz around the lavender, take time to enjoy the results of your work. Gardening isn’t just about the chores—it’s about the joy it brings.
READ MORE