JUNE 1 IS THE “UNOFFICIAL” START TO SUMMER
May ended up by being a very good month for gardeners. We had good timely rainfall throughout the entire month. We had no late frosty nights and we did not have many extremely hot days. So, May was good to us. Our soil temperature is now 73 degrees and warming.
Now here we are in June. Here are just a few of the more important tasks to accomplish.
- As we warm up our flowering annual hanging baskets will dry out much faster. Use your finger and feel the soil. If it feels dry then water the hanging baskets. This may be two or three times a week.
- As for flowering annuals, be sure to “deadhead” as the flowers fade and die. This practice will encourage new growth and continued new flowers.
- Plant some fresh new herbs and vegetables in June. This planting will give you fresh bounty longer into the growing season.
- Hummingbirds are here. They love flowers. And, they love to use a hummingbird feeder.
- One common insect to look out for is the aphid. Aphids will be found on the stems of new growth. Aphids can be controlled easily with a soap and water bath. Or, you can use a safe product such as Safer Soap or the organic Horticultural Oil.
- When it comes to watering, BE WATER WISE. Water wise is conserving water. Water early in the morning and not during the heat of the day. Also, if possible, use a soaker hose which also reduces the loss of water due to evaporation. Thirdly, mulch is a huge benefit when it comes to watering. Mulch helps keep the soil moist and cool longer which both benefit root growth.
So, let’s make June a happy and productive gardening month.
PLANT A LITTLE HAPPINESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!