June Gardening Tips

June Gardening by Ewshot Gardener

It has been a relief to have some exceptional warmth in early May, but the cold wet Spring has made germination patchy.
Azaleas and rhododendrons are having a good year and primroses and Pulmonaria have been spectacular for weeks.
These are jobs you could be doing in June, among others:
Ornamental garden
* Gently remove spent flowers from Camellia, and rhododendron to make room for the leaf buds emerging behind.
* Harvest hellebore seeds once pods ripen (use gloves) and sow into pots or trays
* Divide bearded irises after flowering
* Sow biennials like sweet William, viola and wallflowers
* Divide spring-flowering bulbs.

Lawns
* Mow regularly but, if it is hot and dry, raise the cutting height.
* Apply a high-nitrogen lawn feed (again not when dry)
* Add clippings to the compost heap in small amounts; mix them with dry material to stop it all going slimy.

Kitchen garden
* Pinch out side shoots of cordon tomatoes
* Plant out pumpkins, squashes, courgettes and beans. You could direct sow both these and sweetcorn.
* Because sweetcorn is wind pollinated, do not plant them in a row but in a block, so the pollen gets to the stigmas of neighbouring plants.
* Harvest early potatoes when they begin flowering
* Sow autumn carrots.
* Net Strawberries and brassicas against birds.
* Sorry! But stop cutting asparagus and feed it so the crowns are ready for next year
* It looks as if apples and pears have set well in my garden. If yours have too, wait until after the June drop to thin fruit out! (bitter experience on my part here)

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