June – the most glorious month of the year, long days, sunshine and it is my birthday!
Did you know it is also the most vital month of the year when it comes setting your garden up your garden for the year ahead?
No? Read on then and check out our June Gardening Tips.
June marks the start of the summer season in most regions across the Northern Hemisphere. It is during this month that daytime temperatures start to rise and we begin to experience longer hours of daylight.
Increased sunlight during summer can be a double-edged sword when it comes to home gardening. On one hand, increased sunlight can cause a rapid growth in plants, but it could also cause strip moisture from the soil, leading to withering and death.
And you don’t want that right?
How prepared you are will determine whether your summer gardening will turn out to be productive or a total disaster. The month of June is the perfect time to put everything in order in readiness for the hot summer months ahead.
So lets look at some practical ideas on how you can set up your garden in the month of June.
Planting
Most young plants will struggle to grow during summer due to rising temperatures.
It is for this reason that most farmers choose to plant their garden crops during spring, when the weather is more favorable for seed germination.
Remember:
If you plan to do your planting in June, you will have to settle for warm-season crops that can withstand the harsh temperatures and low moisture levels in the soil.
Such crops include French beans, beetroot, eggplants, peppers, watermelon and tomatoes.
For a quick overview of some summer gardening tips, you can watch the video below:
Caring For Your Lawn
Rising temperatures and low moisture content in the soil will disrupt the growth cycle of grass. Starting from the month of June, rising temperatures can cause visible changes in the thickness and color of your lawn.
Here are three ways to handle the situation:
#1 Water Your Lawn Daily
If you want your lawn to remain green throughout the summer, you will have to water it every single day, only skipping on the days when it rains.
If you can’t maintain such consistency in irrigating your lawn, it would be better skip the whole process altogether. Waiting until the grass starts to go brown before watering will actually do more harm than good.
You’ve learnt something there right?
You can let your lawn dry up completely during summer if you are unable to water it daily. The grass will naturally go through a dormant phase during summer before coming back to life at the end of the season.
However, if you decide to let the grass go dormant, you should minimize the amount of foot traffic on the lawn.
Once the grass blades have dried up, there will be no cushion to protect the delicate roots from the foot traffic, and this can cause irreversible damage to your lawn.
#2 Raise Your Mower Blades
Mowing your lawn during summer will not harm the grass as long as you don’t cut more than one third of the grass blades.
As a general rule, never set the blade lower than two inches when mowing your lawn in the summer.
#3 Leave the Grass Clippings on the Lawn
After mowing your lawn, you can leave the grass clippings on the ground to act as mulching material.
This will help to preserve the moisture in the soil and also provide additional nutrients to the growing grass.
Keep Weeds At Bay
Weeds are an inconvenience that every gardener has to deal with from time to time. As you prepare for the summer ahead, eliminating any weeds that may cause additional stress on your crops should be a top priority.
Don’t forget:
In a small garden, weeds can be easily removed by uprooting them as soon as they appear.
Weed killers should only be used as a last resort in extreme cases when weeds threaten to overrun your whole garden.
Prune Dead Parts and Harvest Fruit and Vegetables
As summer draws nearer, most garden crops which had been planted earlier in the year will be reaching the peak of their maturity. Some parts might start to wither and die due to age.
Removing dead or overgrown parts will revitalize your plants and promote the formation of new buds.
Stay with me here:
You should also harvest any fruits and vegetables that may be ready before they start to get spoilt or start attracting pests.
Prompt harvesting will also encourage the plant to continue producing more fruits in the coming summer months.
Ensure That Your Plants Stay Hydrated
The steady rise in daytime temperatures beginning in the early weeks of June can strip moisture from the soil and stress your garden plants.
If you live in an area that receives little or no rainfall during summer, you will have to water your garden or lawn to keep the plants healthy.
Dehydration in plants can occur within a very short time, so you will have to keep a close eye on your plants for signs of dehydration and constantly monitor the moisture content of the soil.
Here is a sneaky little tip:
The best time to water your plants is early in the morning before the temperature rises. This will allow water to get deeper into the ground where it will be retained for a longer period before it evaporates.
Mulch Your Garden
Mulching is a useful technique which can be used to protect garden crops from the elements regardless of the season.
Fact is:
Applying a layer of mulch around your plants in the early weeks of summer will insulate the soil against the scorching sun. This will keep the ground cool and help to preserve moisture in the soil.
In addition to this, the layer of mulch will cover the ground and prevent weeds from accessing the sunlight which they need to grow.
Protect Your Plants From Harmful Pests
Ripening fruits and succulent foliage in your garden will inevitably attract all sorts of unwanted pests looking for an easy meal.
Aphids and maggots are the most common garden pests. They are extremely destructive, but difficult to spot due to their small size.
Start by:
Regularly inspecting your plants for visible signs of infestation such as tiny eggs, nymphs or deformed leaves. If you notice any of these signs, you can purchase organic insecticides from a gardening store to spray around your garden.
Garden netting can also be used to protect smaller plants such as berries from birds and slugs.
So there we have it – a few June Gardening Tips that could make a huge difference to your yard. Let’s hope it is a good summer!
USEFUL RESOURCES
Want to learn more about gardening in the summer? You can find further information here:
- Make the Most of Your Summer Garden
- Summer Gardening Tips & Plants
- Your Guide to Summer Gardening Success Through the Heat
