Some gardening tips for June: Now is the time to relax a little and enjoy all your hard work of the last few months. Of course this does not mean sit back and do nothing! This month is a transitional period between the spring flowering plants and bulbs dying back and the blaze of colour from summer bedding . The warmth and new growth in the garden also means that pests are on the march. This is a rewarding month in the garden as you start to see the fruits of your labours. Herbaceous borders come alive with colour and the vegetable patch is full of fresh pickings.
Plant out tender bedding plants once all danger of frost has passed. If they have been grown in the greenhouse, harden off in a cold frame for a few days before planting out. Pots and trays of bedding plants can be placed on the patio during the day, but moved back under cover at night. Give them a boost by watering them in with liquid fertiliser.
Thin out rows of vegetable seedlings growing from earlier sowings, such as beetroot, lettuce and radish. Final spacing’s are usually indicated on seed packets. Congested seedlings never reach their full potential, as they distort one another as they grow, resulting in a much smaller crop. Carefully pull out unwanted seedlings, leaving the rest at the desired spacing, then water the row to settle the soil back around the roots of the remaining ones. Crops to sow outside in early June include runner beans, dwarf French beans, kohl rabi, carrots, marrows, cauliflowers, peas, ridge cucumbers, sweet corn, swede, lettuce, endive, squashes and spinach.
Look out for pests
As the weather warms up, and spring moves into summer, the garden becomes a real battleground, with pests attacking flowers, fruits and vegetables as soon as your back is turned. Be on the lookout for the first signs of attack, picking off any pests found. Weigh up the pros and cons of leaving plants to look after themselves and putting up with some damage, or applying regular preventive sprays to stop pests taking hold. For instance, gooseberries are almost always attacked by sawfly caterpillars and a preventive spray will stop leaves being eaten away to their skeletons.
Pruning shrubs
Many spring-flowering shrubs can be pruned as soon as their flowers have started to fade. Any shoots that have carried flowers can be cut back, shortening them to shape the shrub and control its size and vigour. Forsythia can grow large and ungainly if left to its own devices, so prune to give the shrub a definite shape and form. This and other shrubs, such as Berberis darwinnii, are sometimes grown as hedges, so can be pruned to give a more formal structure. All the flowering stems of Prunus triloba can be pruned to their woody base, while selective pruning on philadelphus and weigela stops them getting large and woody.
Lawns
Mow lawns more frequently and lower the cutting height if grass is growing very strongly.
As always, if you haven’t got the time but you like the idea of a beautiful garden, CONTACT US to book a free consultation or quote or give us a call.
