The beginning of June greeted us with fantastic warm and sunny Mediterranean weather, a very welcome change to the late cold and damp conditions since the start of the year. With many areas reporting new high temperature records, has pushed plant growth into overdrive. The results are that trees, shrubs and flowers are now all bursting with new growth. June which is normally a month in which to enjoy and relax in the garden, will this year at least be for many gardeners a very busy month.
There are many tasks to keep most flowering plants at their blooming best and the summer border full of colourful scented displays. Tasks being less onerous this month, It is a time to enjoy the garden display and apart from mowing the lawn, dead heading to prolong the flowering display, controlling slug damage and some weeding being the main activities. Other key tasks this month:
- Prune spring flowering shrubs and perennials, the latter can be cut to the ground which will produce fresh new foliage and possibly a bonus flower display
- Plants in pots should be watered regularly to prevent drying out
- Encourage your plants to continue blooming by dead heading regularly, this helps to prevent plants from setting seed and prolongs summer flowering displays
- Ideal time to take softwood cuttings of shrubs
- Check supporting stakes of tall growing herbaceous plants like Delphiniums
- Mow lawn regularly, trim edges and feed (tip: feed when rain is expected) to produce a pristine striking display (tip: lawns will look better by avoiding cutting too short during hot dry conditions)
- Continue hoeing to control weed growth in all planted borders, removing aany weed before they flower (tip ‘hoe light and often’)
- Tip: give your Roses a useful potassium boost by laying banana skins (outer facing upwards) on the soil around the plant and allow to wither.
- Recent wet spells have also meant a dramatic increase in slugs and snails, be vigilant to protect vulnerable plants against damage
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