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June

Flowers & Ornamental Grasses

Flowers & Ornamental Grasses

  • Mulch perennials. Spread a 1 to 2” layer of shredded leaves, evergreen needles or other organic mulch over the soil surface around perennials.
  • Avoid drought stress. Water plants thoroughly when the top few inches of soil are crumbly and slightly moist.
  • Add a bit of color, fill bare spots and mask fading bulb foliage with annual flowers.
  • Reduce transplant shock by planting in early morning or late afternoon
  • Pay extra attention to perennials planted during hot summer months. Mulch the soil and be prepared to water often. Or focus your planting efforts in shady areas that are less stressful on the plant.
  • Incorporate Milorganite, a slow release fertilizer, into the soil of container gardens at planting.  You won’t need to make a second application for at least 6-8 weeks. 
  • Add Wild Valley Farms Wool Pellets to your container garden potting mixes to extend the time between watering.
  • Protect potted plants and hanging baskets from birds, chipmunks and squirrels that often pull out, nest in or dig up these plants.  Discourage them with repellents or by covering potted plants for the first few weeks with netting. 
  • Use large tropical plants as accents in your flowerbeds.  Leave the plants in their original container and sink the pot into the garden for a more attractive display that requires less frequent watering.
  • Remove faded flowers (deadhead) on annuals and perennials for a neater appearance and in some cases encourage more blooms.
  • Thin garden phlox, bee balm, and other overgrown perennials subject to powdery mildew and leaf spot diseases by removing one third of the stems.
  • Pinch back late summer and fall blooming perennials to control height or delay bloom.
  • Keep mums and asters 6 inches tall through the end of the month to encourage shorter more compact growth.  Southern gardeners can continue this practice through early-to-mid-July.
  • Prune Autumn Joy sedum and Russian sage plants that were floppy in the past. Cut 8” tall plants back halfway to encourage more compact growth.
  • Cut back common bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis) after last flush of flowers, but before the leaves start to yellow to encourage.  This encourages fresh new growth so you will have green foliage for the remainder of the season.
  • Stake tall bearded iris, dahlias and gladiola for a more attractive display.  Stake dahlias and gladiola at time of planting to avoid spearing or disturbing the tuberous roots or corms.
  • Dig and divide overgrown Siberian iris (Iris siberica) when they finish blooming.  Poor flowering, dead centers, and floppy growth indicate its time to dig and divide. 
  • Inspect the upper and lower leaf surfaces and stems of plants for aphids, mites and plant bugs.  Dislodge with a strong blast of water, treat with insecticidal soap or lightweight horticulture oil, like Summit Year-Round Spray Oil, or wait for beneficial insects to manage these pests.
  • Hand pick Japanese beetles, small, metallic-green insects, and place in a container of soapy water.
  • Check for slugs and earwigs when you find holes in the leaves of hosta, clematis and a variety of other plants and use environmentally friendly control if needed.
  • Remove and discard any spotted, blotchy, and discolored leaves as soon as they are discovered. Disinfect tools to reduce the risk of spreading disease.
  • Remove and destroy brown flower buds that fail to open on peonies and roses. Proper sanitation and some cooperation from the weather can reduce the risk of botrytis blight.
  • Monitor all plantings for animal damage and adjust control strategies as needed.
  • Continue weeding. These plants not only compete for water and nutrients but also serve as host for many insects and diseases.
  • Garden early morning and late afternoon when temperatures are a bit cooler. Be sure to drink plenty of water and use sunscreen.
  • Going on vacation? Give your plant sitter a helping hand by placing all containers and hanging baskets together in a shady location or incorporate Wild Valley Farms’ Wool Pellets to extend the time between watering.  Or make or purchase an irrigation system with timer for your container gardens. 

Fruits, Vegetables & Herbs

Fruits, Vegetables & Herbs

  • Garden early morning and late afternoon when temperatures are a bit cooler. Be sure to drink plenty of water and use sunscreen.
  • Continue weeding. These plants not only compete with vegetable, herb, and fruit plants for water and nutrients, but also serve as hosts for many insects and diseases.
  • Cover the soil (mulch) with a 1-2” layer of evergreen needles, shredded leaves, or other organic material to conserve moisture, moderate soil temperature and reduce weeds.
  • Avoid drought stress by watering plants thoroughly when the top few inches of soil is crumbly and slightly moist.
  • Increase your gardening space and reduce pest problems by growing pole beans, melons, squash and cucumber on a trellis, fence or decorative obelisk.
  • Grow herbs, vegetables and even fruit in containers on patios and decks and steps.
  • Reduce ongoing container maintenance by incorporating a slow release fertilizer, like Milorganite, into the soil of container gardens at planting. You won’t need to make a second application for at least 6-8 weeks.
  • Those in cooler climates can continue planting warm weather vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash and melons that thrive in warmer soil and air temperatures. 
  • Southern gardeners can keep adding heat-tolerant vegetables like southern peas, okra and sweet potatoes
  • Reduce transplant shock by planting hardened-off plants in the early morning or late afternoon. 
  • Warm region gardeners may need to give established plants, fertilized 6 to 8 weeks ago, a nutrient boost. Use a slow release, low nitrogen fertilizer, like Milorganite, that won’t burn the plants even during hot, dry weather.
  • Thin rows of seeded vegetables, so the remaining seedlings are at the recommended spacing.  Recycle the seedlings in the compost pile or dine on the edible ones, like beets and radishes.
  • Thin onion plants when the leaves are 6 inches tall. Use these green onions for eating fresh, using in salads, omelets and other dishes.
  • As tomato plants mature, remove the lowest four inches of foliage and mulch the soil to reduce the risk of soil born disease infecting the plant.
  • Harvest vegetables regularly and at the peak of maturity for maximum flavor, nutrition and productivity.
  • Harvest radishes when the roots are full size and soil is slightly moist for easy pulling.
  • Pick herbs as needed. Regular harvesting encourages tender new growth for better flavor and greater yield.
  • Replace early plantings such as lettuce, radishes and beets that have been harvested with cucumbers, beans, onions and other summer crops.
  • Harvest strawberries at least every other day to ensure quality and reduce the number of overripe berries on the plants that attract insects and increase the risk of disease.
  • Allow the leaves (green fluffy growth) of asparagus to develop on the plants when you are finished harvesting.
  • Cover broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts with floating row covers to prevent cabbage worms from reaching and feeding on the plants.
  • Place sticky traps in apples, pears and other fruit trees to monitor pest problems.
  • Prevent blossom end rot on tomatoes with proper watering and mulching. This is often enough to manage the problem.  If it occurs, remove the black portion and enjoy the red ripe portion of the fruit.
  • Watch for squash vine borer that feed inside the stems. Its feeding deposits a sawdust-like material at the base of the plant and causes plants to suddenly wilt.
  • Cover beans and basil plants at planting with row covers to prevent Japanese beetle damage. For plants that need insect pollination, knock the Japanese beetles into a container of soapy water.
  • Control small populations of mites and aphids with a strong blast of water from the garden hose.  Larger populations can be controlled with insecticidal soap or horticulture oil.  Read and follow all label directions before you make applications.
  • Continue to monitor for animal damage and adjust control strategies as needed.
  • Going on vacation? Consider automating your watering system while your gardens are under the care of family or friends.

Groundcovers & Vines

Groundcover & Vines

Indoor & Holiday Plants

Indoor & Holiday Plants

Lawns

Lawns

Trees, Shrubs & Roses

Trees, Shrubs & Roses

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