GARDENING TIPS FOR JUNE
Now that summer is finally here and the daylight hours are at their longest, June is a great month to spend as much time outdoors as possible, enjoying your garden’s beautiful blooms
Your garden will be going through an exuberant burst of growth and flowering throughout the month – make sure everything stays looking beautiful by tidying and maintaining your garden, caring for those plants you’ve spent so much time growing
There can be quite a few things to keep on top of in your garden in June, but with our handy guide those essential gardening jobs will be over in no time – giving you even more time to sit back, relax, and enjoy all your efforts
Our gardening expert's top tips:
June is a great time to sow seeds and plant young plants as the air and soil temperatures are high, which will set your plants off to a great start. However, the heat may also dry the soil out too much, which can prolong plant growth. Make sure to water your plants as often as needed, especially during long, hot spells
THIS MONTH IS ALL ABOUT: GARDEN MAINTENANCE
We know the most exciting thing about having a garden is planting and growing gorgeous flowers or tasty fruit and veg, or for some it’s simply building your new bistro set and lighting up the first BBQ of the summer. However, basic garden maintenance tasks are essential in creating a beautiful space where you can fully enjoy your garden and all your efforts
The extra light and warmth means weeds will sprout up more often and be at their strongest in the heat. Weeds don’t just spoil the look of your garden but can harbour pests and diseases too. Keep on top of them by hoeing weeds regularly during dry weather before they get the chance to establish, or using a weed killer where you can. Commit to weeding your garden at least once a week to keep your garden in top condition. Applying a thick layer of mulch (a loose coverings of protective organic material) over the soil surface helps prevent any further weeds from growing
You’ll also want to protect your plants and garden from hot weather. Make watering your plants part of your daily routine when the weather is dry and warm. Don’t forget to water your pots and containers too
SEEDS TO SOW IN JUNE:
FLOWERS
Pansies
Violas
Primroses
Stock
Sweet William
Calendula
Godetia
Clarkia
Lupins
Delphiniums
Coreopsis (last chance to sow)
FRUIT & VEGETABLES
Salad crops such as beetroot, lettuce, Pak choi and radish
French and runner beans
Peas
Sweetcorn
Cucumbers
Squash
Pumpkins (last chance to sow)
Marrows
Courgettes
Turnips
Broccoli
JUNE LAWN CARE
For a perfectly manicured lawn, regular mowing at least once a week is best if the weather is dry. Reduce the cutting height of your mower now that the grass is growing more strongly. For a more wildlife friendly lawn, let your grass grow and the wildflowers will bloom to support pollinating insects
For a lovely, lush green lawn that will look beautiful shining in the summer sun, apply a summer lawn feed now
FLOWERS TO PLANT AND GROW IN JUNE
Our bedding plant of the month for June is the elegant fuchsia, which blooms from summer to the early frosts – making it the ideal plant to find space for in your garden this month. They’re great for containers as well as borders, providing many shades of colours in their many varieties
In June, the flowers in your garden should now be full of exuberant growth and colour. Early season herbaceous plants, such as hardy geranium and oriental poppies, can be cut back after flowering to encourage the re-growth of tidy, fresh new foliage. Hardy geraniums will often put on a second, late season flower display - mulch and feed these blooms for an extra boost
Clematis montana can be cut back after flowering to control its growth if required. Make sure to tie in new growth of summer flowering clematis and honeysuckle onto supports with garden twine, along with your sweet peas, which should be growing strongly now
Thin out seedlings of hardy annuals you’ve previously sown directly into the soil, allowing each plant room to develop to its full potential
WHAT TO DO WITH BEDS & BORDERS
Bedding plants raised from seed or at the young plant stage should all be planted out now. More exotic plants such as canna, bananas, palms and cordylines make great additions to pots and borders if you’re looking to create a more tropical look
Spring flowering annuals, such as forget-me-nots and wallflowers, will have faded now and should be lifted and added to the compost bin to make way for summer plantings. Fill any gaps in your beds and borders with fast growing, high summer bedding plants such as dahlia, cosmos and nicotiana – check out our guide on how to plant a low-maintenance border
WHAT TO PLANT IN POTS & CONTAINERS
June is the perfect month to fill your patio containers, hanging baskets and window boxes with instant summer colour you can admire all season long. Bedding plants are a perfect way to do so – to help, we’ve created a guide on the best plants to use to create a colourful garden
If you want to plant a more permanent container, consider planting Japanese acers in all their beautiful foliage colours for an oriental look. Hydrangeas offer large flower heads which can last well into the autumn, or cordyline with its bold architectural form and eye-catching foliage
The 27th of May to the 9th of June is British Tomato Fortnight, meaning it’s officially tomato growing season! Growing your own tomatoes is a rewarding project that gives you the tastiest, juiciest and most nutritious tomatoes – and there's no better time to start growing than during peak tomato season! Even if you’re short on space tomatoes can be grown from hanging baskets or containers on your terrace
While watering your container plants, add liquid fertiliser every fortnight for healthy growth
JUNE FRUIT & VEG
Continue to earth up potatoes to avoid tubers being exposed to the light and turning green. The early potatoes you planted back in March will be ready for harvesting soon, maturing around 10 weeks from planting
If you began sowing courgette and squash plants, then these can be planted out now as all the risk of frost should have passed
If you’ve gotten a head start on growing you own tomatoes, check for any shoots sprouting above each leaf, from the joint between the leaf and the stem, and pinch these out to concentrate energy into creating fruit. Smaller bush and trailing varieties are fine left to grow without pruning. Once the first trusses start to set fruit, begin feeding weekly with tomato fertiliser
Re-sow salad seeds every 10 to 14 days for a constant supply of fresh leaves. Or if you simply can’t wait, we have a wide range of young vegetable plants available in-store for quicker results
June is usually the perfect month to harvest the vegetables you started growing earlier in the year, such as spring onions, lettuce, and radishes. Finish harvesting asparagus spears too and continue to pull rhubarb stems regularly throughout this month
It’s not just your veg plants that will be ready to harvest – the strawberries you’ve been growing in greenhouses or under cloches will be ripe, juicy and ready for harvesting by now, and any outdoor plants should be ready later in the month
Protect any other soft fruit plants that aren’t ready to harvest yet from birds using netting
MAINTAIN TREES & SHRUBS
The rose’s season is just starting in June, so it's the perfect time to choose new varieties to add to your planters and borders to maximise your summer displays. Available in a variety of shapes, colours & scents, roses are an essential plant for any garden – and they’re our June plant of the month! Maintaining roses is relatively easy. Make sure to dead-head them as soon as possible to ensure they continue flowering. Feed them with rose fertiliser and add a layer of mulch to support strong growth and more blooms
Prune any spring flowering shrubs as soon as the flowers have faded. Remove spent branches with secateurs or loppers to allow new growth to develop as this will carry next Spring’s display
Trim Buxus and evergreen hedges but remember to check for nesting birds first. If necessary, wait for late fledglings to fly
INDOOR GARDENING
Citrus, Bougainvillea, Mimosa, Lantana and some larger foliage plants such as yucca are all great to have out in the garden for the summer months now the risk of frost has passed
Repot indoor and conservatory plants with fresh compost to ensure they remain strong and healthy. First time repotting a plant? We’ve created a simple guide on how to repot a houseplant that you can follow! Any plants that don’t require repotting should be top dressed in fresh compost and fed regularly so they stay healthy, happy plants
If you’re a houseplant beginner, succulents are easy to care for and perfect for newbies. Succulents come in a wide variety of styles, shapes and colours, so you can collect a few and feel like you have a diverse range of low-maintenance plants
Shade your greenhouses to prevent over-heating or scorching of tender plants, making sure to keep them well-ventilated on hot sunny days
GENERAL MAINTENANCE
Protect the susceptible lush foliage of prized herbaceous plants, such as delphinium and hosta, from slug damage using pest control repellents. Don’t forget to protect your strawberry plants from hungry blackbirds too!
The garden furniture is hopefully out by now, ready for relaxing, BBQing and garden parties. Make sure the rest of your garden is looking top-notch to match. If you’ve not already done so, June is an ideal month to refresh your shed or fence panels with a new lick of Ronseal Fence Life paint. Start painting in the morning and it will be dry by night – even sooner if it’s a warm day!
Dig up any spring-flowering bulbs such as tulips and hyacinths that are finished flowering for the season and store them in cool, well-ventilated shed. Daffodils, bluebells and snowdrops can be left in the ground unless they’re near other plants that need watered in the summer, as these bulbs don’t like to be wet and could rot
Mulching your plants with organic matter locks in moisture and, over time, helps to improve your soil whilst also giving your plants a well-needed boost
LOOK AFTER WILDLIFE
To create a safe habitat for birds, consider adding a bird bath to your garden as a source of water and place for birds to cool off in the summer heat
Nurture your little ones’ interest in nature with our wildlife friendly kits for kids, which include painting a bee hotel, growing wildflowers, and growing your own bug garden
We would love to see what you get up to in the garden this June - take a picture and tag us on socials with @dobbiesgardencentres for your chance to be featured on our social media channels