After the recent welcome rain, our gardens are leaping into Summer growth. We can now start to enjoy our gardens while keeping up with any 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 fortnight if you haven’t already applied some 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 the humid atmosphere which they prefer. 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 and celebrating
On warm summer days, try to take some time to relax in your garden and enjoy the garden you have worked so hard to create.
Hopefully the weather will be kind for our Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations and we will all be able to enjoy and share our outdoor spaces over the Jubilee weekend. (Editor’s note, as I’m posting this late: it could have been kinder, right? But could have been worse!!)
Alpington and Yelverton 