June

Planting

The temperatures are perfect for helping plants to establish themselves, so continue planting warm weather plants – both veggies and flowers. You can reseed things like radishes, carrots and beets, and plant annuals like lobelia, marigolds, and petunias – anything that loves the warmth.

Explore groundcovers like Blue Star Creeper, Creeping Thyme, and Baby’s Tears. Ground covers with more permanence like gravel, stones, and bark are also excellent choices. All of these groundcovers help to keep the weeds at bay and work wonders in retaining moisture in the ground.

Watering

Anything that’s been planted in the past couple of months will need regular watering as it settles into the ground and establishes a healthy root system.

We’ve had an uncommonly windy spring, which dries out the ground like a hundred-degree summer day! Buy yourself a moisture meter (they are only $10-12 dollars onAmazon) and check the ground at least 8 inches from the base of the plant and about 6 inches down into the soil. Water in the morning and check it in the evening to see if your plants are retaining their moisture supply.

Properly installed sprinklers and driplines provide a steady water supply, but there is no substitute for hand watering new plants. When you hand water, you can check the moisture levels by sight and adjust how much water is needed. Hand watering gives you a close-up perspective that helps you scout for pests or diseases. You can also watch for failure to thrive and intervene where needed. As we get plants ready for the hot days ahead, water deeply to help the plant develop deep roots.

Weeding, Pruning, & Deadheading

Keeping up the appearance of the garden, makes for a beautiful vista, but it also supports good plant health. Keeping the weed population under control, will prevent them from hoarding the water and nutrients needed by your treasured plants. (Personal note: Weeding doesn’t have to be a loathsome chore. If you keep up with it, it can actually be meditative.)

Generally, we think of pruning as being relegated to late winter or early spring, but we prune in the summer months for form. Mild, wet springs can be a boon to the growth of a plant, but too much growth makes for an out-of-control shrub that blocks the driveway or creates a messy yard. Prune lightly and think of the shape you want from the plant. Pinching back smaller plants helps promote fuller foliage and a more robust looking plant. Don’t over think it – just get in there and snip away!

In my book, deadheading is an everyday task. Plucking off dead blossoms, not only improves the look of a plant (who likes dead stuff hanging around?), it also encourages further blossoms. The plant’s primary directive is to produce seeds for propagation, but cutting off a dead blossom sends a message to the plant that the seeds are absent, and it must produce more flowers. Less dead stuff and more blossoms? It’s a win-win!

Call me at 707.753.1445 for your free 30-minute consultation.