6 Summer Gardening Goals for June
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June Garden[/caption]Now that June is here, you may have most of your planting done. You may be thinking that your work is done and that now you can rest, but think again - there is plenty to do yet. Good maintenance is essential for vigorous, healthy plants, and maintenance needs to be done consistently, sometimes on a daily basis. Neglecting your duties can lead to dead, unhealthy, or unsightly plants. Here is a list of six summer gardening goals for June that will keep your garden looking great!Plant Warm-Season PlantsIf you haven’t done this already, plant your warm-season bedding annuals, vegetables, and herbs in the ground or in containers right away. Tomatoes, peppers, and basil are some examples of edible warm-season plants that will thrive in the heat that is just around the corner. If you have been growing seedlings indoors, be sure to harden them off before planting them in the ground. Direct sow pumpkin, cucumber, corn, and bean seeds. You may want to plant more corn and bean seeds every couple of weeks for a continuous harvest.[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
Seedlings[/caption]PruneNow is the time to prune trees and shrubs, but do your homework first by consulting a chart or website on what to prune when. Different flowering shrubs have different requirements depending on if the flowers bloom on old wood or new wood. For example, lilacs and rhododendrons need to be pruned immediately after blooming (now, in most places) in order to bloom next year, while viburnums should be left intact to set fruit. Check all trees and shrubs for damaged wood and crowded limbs and prune them; be sure to disinfect your tools between plants so as not to spread any diseases.[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="480"]
Pruning[/caption]Deadhead and Pinch Back FlowersMany flowers benefit from deadheading, which is the removal of dead flowers. Besides making your garden look tidy, deadheading helps plants to put energy into growing new flowers and foliage instead of into setting seed - of course, if you want to plants to re-seed, then you should not deadhead. Different plants have different needs, so do your homework to learn what plants to deadhead and how far to cut them back. Pinching back plants is when you remove the tip of the plant, which encourages it to grow bushy and compact instead of long and leggy. Many plants, such as coleus, benefit from this. Chrysanthemums and asters should be pinched back continuously through the Fourth of July every time the plant stems grow three new sets of leaves. If you pinch them back after early July, you will be pinching off future blooms.WaterIf you do not receive at least an inch of rain in any given week, then you need to water your plants. Newly planted trees, shrubs, and plants will need to be watered more often until they are established; keep a careful eye on them. Containers and hanging baskets also need to be watered more frequently depending on their size, location, and the type of plants they hold. I check my containers every day by feeling slightly below the soil; many of my small containers need to be watered daily. When watering, water in the morning if possible so that the water doesn’t evaporate in the sun; also, water deeply at the roots, not the leaves. Watering leaves can cause spotting and mold if the plants are left damp overnight.[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
Watering[/caption]WeedWeeds steal water and nutrients from plants, and weak plants are more susceptible to diseases and pests - this is why it is important to keep weeds under control. Putting down mulch is a good way to prevent weeds and preserve water. If you do not have a huge garden, it is easy to keep weeds in check by pulling them or using a hoe every few days. Don’t let weeds get out of control! I personally do not like to use herbicides, but if you have a severe problem or a large garden and you choose this method of weed prevention, please do some research first. Take this opportunity to carefully check your plants, including under the leaves, for pests like aphids, slugs, or Japanese beetles. If you find any pests, treat plants immediately with natural remedies or pesticides.Fertilize It is essential to fertilize flower and vegetable plants for optimum growth; some shrubs should be fertilized as well. There are a wide variety of fertilizers out there, from compost to chemical fertilizers. It is important to follow the feeding schedule as listed on the label. If you are growing plants in containers, it is important to note that most potting soils already have fertilizers in them that last six months. There are some fertilizers that are in pellet form and release fertilizer over the growing season, so they only have to be applied once. Others are mixed with water and need to be applied every two to four weeks. Again, it is important to do research to choose what kind of fertilizer is right for you and then follow the directions for that specific fertilizer.More information about the author:
June 10, 2014
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