The sun has finally made a very welcome appearance and we have also had enough rain to launch our gardens into Summer mode. Now we can start enjoying our gardens while doing some ongoing weeding, watering and feeding.
Lawns
Continue to mow as needed, cutting the grass a little higher in hot dry weather.
Mulching
If your borders are in full sun and dry out quickly, consider applying a mulch of compost or bark on top of the soil between the plants to reduce water evaporation.
Feeding
Feed container plants, bedding plants and veggies. Liquid-feed tubs and baskets every two weeks if you haven’t already mixed in controlled-release fertiliser.
Bulbs
Lift Spring bulbs when their leaves have turned yellow. Put them indoors in a shallow box to dry then remove the dried leaves and store them in a cool dry shed for Autumn planting.
Greenhouses
Water the greenhouse to dampen it down in hot weather and ensure you have sufficient shading on the glass to prevent your plants from becoming scorched. Spray cucumbers with water to maintain a humid atmosphere for them. Feed tomatoes, peppers & other greenhouse crops with a high-potash feed such as Tomorite as per the instructions on the bottle.
Harvesting
June is also the time for harvesting early crops – Strawberries, salads, spring onions and radishes you sowed or planted earlier in the year. You may also have the first onions – they are ready when the leaves turn yellow.
Bring indoor plants outside for the Summer
Move any summer flowering house plants into the garden. They will brighten any patio area and benefit from the extra light.
Relaxing
Roses are at their best in June, so try to take some time to relax in your garden and enjoy the lovely space you have worked so hard to create.
Correction re Aphid treatment
In May’s Gardening Tasks, I suggested spraying roses with a washing-up liquid solution to clear greenfly. A colleague has pointed out that this is no longer recommended as many washing up liquids are not plant friendly. Please only use propriety pesticide or greenfly killer to clear greenfly in order to prevent possible damage to your plants and roses.
These tips were kindly contributed by local resident Cara MacColl
Alpington and Yelverton 