Gardeners month June

The month of June is named after the Roman Goddess Juno, the goddess of marriage and the wife of Jupiter.
The month may also be from the latin word iuniores meaning “younger ones” as opposed to maiores (“elders”) from which the preceding month of May (Maius) may be named.

June is the month with the summer solstice, a day with the most daylight hours.
The birth flowers for the month are the rose and also honeysuckle.

The days are long and the nights are short.
Summer has arrived at last with warm sunny days and warmer nights much less chance of any damaging frosts.
June can be a drier month but occasional thunderstorms can pass over quickly.

This is a month to really start enjoying the outdoors and start to see the fruits of your gardening labours .
There is nothing better than sitting in the garden in the evening with a glass of something refreshing and enjoying the moment sharing it with the local bird population who are generally busy until dusk. You can take in the heady scent of roses and honeysuckle which always seem more intense in the evening.
This is a month to be enjoyed.

June is also a busy gardening month if there is little rainfall you will have to get busy with the watering can to keep all those new plants looking fresh and healthy.
You should be able to now plant any tender plants from the greenhouse or garden centre outdoor now as risk of frost is very low.
Containers and hanging baskets should now also be out in their flowering places ready to give colour by the end of the month.
As things warm up be on the lookout for any pests and diseases which can attack, Slugs and snails will be ever present to cause devastation and aphids can be a serious pest for lupin and roses.
Also watch for blackspot on roses and another fungal disease which likes the warm damp nights is powdery mildew, spraying with a fungicide early will keep these in check and cause less damage to leafs and buds.

By the end of the month ornamental borders will be at their flowering peak and you should have plenty of early summer vegetables to savour and enjoy.
Fresh dug new potatoes brought straight in and boiled are treat at this time of year.
Early sowings of peas and beans should be growing at a pace now and will be ready soon.

There are plenty of star plants this month some of the favourite ones to be on the look for are Peonies whose large and colourful blooms light up the border.
Honeysuckle with its intense evening fragrance is a must planted close to the house or near the patio where its scent can be enjoyed.
Clematis hybrids are also in full bloom this month, great planted on pergolas and along the top of fences.
Philadelphus commonly known as the mock orange for its intense orange blossom fragrance is another star performer.

The vegetable and fruit garden is another busy area this month.
Sow at regular intervals salad crops such as lettuce, radish, spring onions.
Its time to plant out runner and broad beans.
Keep regular sowing of garden peas for later harvesting .
You may want to try some outdoor tomatoes in a sunny south facing spot in the garden or grow bag.

Sow turnips and swede for autumn and winter harvesting.
Plant sweet corn in blocks a foot apart to aid pollination by the wind.
In the fruit garden thin the gooseberry crop for larger fruits and keep a watch for the gooseberry sawfly which can defoliate a plant totally.

Watch strawberries for grey mould (botrytis) if there is a spell of wet weather.

JOBS FOR THE MONTH.

  • Prune spring flowering shrubs .
  • Cut down faded foliage of bulbs and lift and divide overgrown clumps.
  • Plant summer bedding in borders.
  • Put out containers and hanging baskets in there flowering positions.
  • Watch for pest and disease attack and take early action to prevent damage.
  • Use feed and weed on the lawn to give it a boost and green it up.
  • Sow for winter and spring colour such as pansies and polyanthus.
  • Shade greenhouses and keep well ventilated to avoid overheating.
  • Sow hardy annuals for a colour boost in the borders.
  • Make regular small sowings of salad crops for continued harvesting.
  • Now is the time to introduce new fish into the pond.
  • Start any perennial sowings this month.
  • Harvest on a regular basis and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

The above are just some of the things to be getting on with this month.
This can be a busy but a very enjoyable month in the garden.
Do take time out to enjoy the long summer evenings which are great for family barbecues and gatherings.

This is a month to share the garden with all the family whether it is a kick around with a ball or just to sit in the calm of the evening and enjoy a glass of your favourite refreshment.

Enjoy.

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