Swanland Nurseries Gardening Club

Jobs for the month

JUNE

• At this time of year your garden should be looking at its best. To maintain its good looks, water when necessary, keep control of weeds and be vigilant for pests and diseases, taking action as soon as you can.


• It should now be safe to put out hanging baskets and containers as the weather warms. Summer bedding can also now be planted with confidence.


• Fill gaps in your borders with new perennials or annual bedding.


• Dead foliage can be removed from late flowering spring bulbs


• Lift and either divide and replant or store spring flowering bulbs ready for planting again in autumn. Ensure that bulbs to be stored are dry and that dead leaves and roots are trimmed close to the bulb. It is best to store bulbs in nets or brown paper bags in a dry, well ventilated space.


• Spread straw mulch under strawberry plants and net soft fruits against birds (unless you are prepared to share your largesse).


• Tie in new blackberry, loganberry, tayberry and autumn fruiting raspberry canes to suitable supports.


• Tree fruits should now be swelling. In a good year you may need to thin out fruits of apples, plums and pears. Normally nature assists this process as excess fruits may fall off in the ‘June drop’.


• Make sure the greenhouse is adequately shaded and ventilated. Dampen the floor to increase humidity.


• Pinch out side shoots of tomatoes, cucumbers and melons. Make sure the plants are adequately supported as the fruits swell.


• Water plants in the greenhouse daily and feed with a dilute liquid feed once a week


• Mow lawns regularly, but not too closely or frequently if the weather is dry.


• Deadhead perennials and roses as the flowers go over. Cut back spring flowering plants like Aubrietia.


• Carry out the ‘Chelsea chop’ at the beginning of the month. Clumps of perennials can be chopped back one third to a half using shears or secateurs. This will delay flowering until later in the season keeping plants shorter and more compact.


• Remove suckers from roses and other grafted trees/shrubs.


• Prune flowering shrubs after flowering to shape e.g. Spiraea


• Cut hedges as necessary. Trim and shape topiary.


• Continue successional sowing of vegetables.


• Plant out autumn and winter brassicas and leeks.


• Earth up potatoes. Lift early season varieties.