June gardening

It’s officially Summer, which means our gardens are in full bloom, but there are still jobs to do… JUNE

GARDENING GUIDE

June is the first month where the weather can virtually be guaranteed. No more frosts, warmer evenings and, hopefully, hotter days. The Spring flowers have mostly gone and the summer ones are coming through providing an abundance of colour. However, as nice as it is to sit in your garden and enjoy it, there are still plenty of jobs to do…

WEEDING

Weeds. The arch-nemesis of our beautiful gardens. However, with some hard work, these can be removed. All weeds can be controlled without weedkillers, and for our environment, it is best to get your hand’s dirty before resorting to chemicals.

One of the best manual ways to control weeds is by hoeing. Simply run a hoe over a bed or between rows to kill most weed seedlings. Ideally, choose a dry day with light wind so that the seedlings will dry out on the surface.

Pull up annual weeds by hand before they set seed. Perennial weeds should be dug out with as much root or bulb as possible using a hand or border fork. Hand weeding is easiest on lighter soils and should only be attempted when it won’t disturb the roots of garden plants.

HANGING BASKETS

Hanging baskets provide valuable colour at eye level in your garden. Choose vibrant bedding plants for a short-term show, or herbs, shrubs and evergreens for a longer-lasting display.

The great thing about hanging baskets is that you can plant them in situ straight away. The basic principles for creating a hanging basket are very simple. First of all, if you are using a standard wire basket, it will need to be lined. You can buy readymade cardboard liners and fibrous materials sold for the purpose.

Then add a good quality, peat-free multipurpose compost and give it a good water before starting to add your bedding plants or herbs, shrubs and

evergreens. Once the basket has been planted, check every day in summer, watering always unless the compost is wet.

You should prune deciduous shrubs (losing their leaves in winter) after they have flowered.

PRUNE EARLY-FLOWERING SHRUBS

Deciduous shrubs that flower in late winter, spring and early summer need annual pruning to encourage strong, healthy shoots and improve flowering. Annual pruning also prolongs the life of these early-flowering shrubs.

You should prune deciduous shrubs (losing their leaves in winter) after they have flowered. As they usually flower on the previous year’s growth, pruning immediately after flowering allows maximum time for the development of young growth.

To prune, you will need a good pair of secateurs and start by cutting out any damaged or dead shoots back to their point of origin. Where there are many stems, remove some to ground level to keep the bush open and avoid congestion.

PLANT SUMMER BEDS

Bedding plants provide a temporary decorative seasonal display for planters, borders, containers and hanging baskets. And now is the perfect time to create them. Bedding plants can be grown from seed, bought as plug plants (young seedlings) or purchased as pot-grown specimens.

Many public gardens change the bedding displays twice a year, replanting in late spring and early autumn. This is called successional planting. However, before you even think about planting summer beds, you will want to know what type of soil you have.

For example, if you have a dry border with free-draining soil and lots of sunshine you will have more luck with Mediterranean plants, flowers and herbs than if you tried to plant something more suitable for shady conditions. Once you know your borders and beds, you can go online to find the most suitable plants or ask at your local garden centre.

WATERING

Watering is key to growing healthy, beautiful plants, however, water is a precious resource and supplies in the UK are under pressure, so you want to be water-smart to help the environment and preserve water.

The best time to water plants is in the morning, as this is when the sun comes up and plants start to use the water. The foliage and soil surface is also likely to stay drier for longer than evening watering, discouraging slugs and snails from ruining your plants.

In regards to how much water, there is no simple rule of thumb. Each plant has different watering needs, however, you can look for the signs that a plant needs more or less water such as a lack of growth, dull leaves, wilting and a change in position of leaves.

To prune, you will need a good pair of secateurs and start by cutting out any damaged or dead shoots back to their point of origin.