June Tasks in the Garden
By Erin Whalen

It’s warming up – Summer is upon us and your garden is no longer shy. Time for our June tasks. This marks the time for you to pay attention and give your plants all the care they are asking for. Blooms are as large as they can get.

In the month of May you visited your garden early in the morning because it was the best time for that particular growth period. In June it is best to observe your plants blooming and taking in the sun. This is the time where you can clearly see every aspect of the flower. And begin to take pride in your effort of seasons past. Don’t get too lazy though! Now’s the time to pay attention to details.

June tasks in the garden:

• Watering – Be sure to watch water levels closely. As the weather gets warmer plants require more moisture. All potted plants need extra attention because they are isolated from the main ground soil that holds more moisture.

• Prune – Deadhead annuals and prune all roses that have bloomed

• Pinch Back – Pinch back all plants and think of it as a trim

• Weed – Spot check for weeds and clean out any you find.

• Pest Control – Be sure your pest control is working. If you find it isn’t you need to find a new regimen.

• Record: Photograph or Sketch – Keep your garden journal up-to-date! This is a great way for you to record the growth of each plant you have, especially those that have to be treated for disease. Doing this will help with future growing seasons.

• Add any new additions to your garden – Are there any plants that have failed to grow beyond a sprout? Take out any plants that are obviously not going to survive and replace them with new ones. It is so much nicer to fill your empty spots than leave them, since it completes the garden design.

Our June tasks are very important so be sure to follow them closely. This will ensure each plant’s personal survival because all of their unique needs will be diagnosed and met. Once again, don’t forget to continue to log each plants progress in your gardening journal. You will be glad you did when you need a reference to rectify a sick or needy plant in the future.