Stay Cool & Keep on Gardening: June & July Gardening Tips
Written by Extension Master Gardener Volunteer, Annette Thompson- Warm season lawns can be fertilized in June. It is recommended that prior to fertilizing that you obtain a soil test. Your local extension office can help with this or you can access information from this site: Gardening - Soil Testing
- Vegetable planting continues in June for things such as beans, peppers, and tomatoes.
- Look forward to July harvesting, canning, freezing, sharing with neighbors and eating.
- Seeding can be started for cool season vegetables like brussel sprouts and collards
- Big leaf hydrangea blooms can be pruned as the flowers fade.
- Watering is essential as the weather heats up. Watering is best done early in the day. Soaker hoses are a good way to water since they don’t wet the foliage or disturb the soil structure. When hand watering, water from the base of the plant. Water deeply to encourage deep root growth. Vegetables need about an inch of water a week. Adding mulch is a good way to help the soil retain moisture (and keep weeds down).
- Pruning of spring flowering shrubs needs to be done before July if you want blooms next spring.
- Remove fading flowers from perennials to encourage continued blooming.
- Be on the lookout for summer pests such as aphids, spider mites, snails, slugs, and Japanese beetles. If powdery mildew is a problem, remove infected plants and thin out the bed to improve air circulation.
- In June, it is not too late to plant annuals like portulaca, marigolds, cosmos, and zinnias. Most planting needs to be completed before July.
- As the leaves of spring flowering bulbs die, they can be cut back now. Overcrowded daffodil bulbs can be dug up and divided. Replant immediately or store them in a cool, dark, well-ventilated place for fall planting.
