There is no question about it, June equals Summer time and warmer conditions for ourselves and our garden plants to enjoy. June can also bring the driest of weather to Ireland as Summer moves into full swing.

Add to this, the longer evenings and June truly is a month that we can get the most out of our garden. Summer solstice falls on June 22nd and this marks the longest day of the year, meaning from that point forward the days are already getting shorter!

Plants of the Month

(From Left to Right) Petunia, Elder Berry, Rhodedendron, lilac, Rosa

Things to Consider for June

Maintenance is top priority in June. Staying on top of general garden tasks can take up most of your time. Weeding is a regular task for both flower beds and vegetable patches. Dead heading flowering plants and watering and feeding should take place weekly and more frequently in your greenhouse.

Average temperatures for the month of June reach 17 degrees which has the effect of slowing down grass growth. This can mean you need to cut your grass less often and also that grass can be slower to recover from damage or maintenance work during June & July.

Things to Do   

In the Fruit & Veg Garden

1. Thin out vegetable rows that have been sown directly
2. Keep raised beds well watered and feed plants with a liquid fertiliser
3. Keep an eye on thirsty plants including pumpkins, squash, courgettes and tomatoes and ensure they are keep moist
4. Continue to sow vegetables for a late Autumn harvest, you still have time to sow lettuce, cabbage, peas and beans. You can also sow broccoli, beetroot & carrots & parsnips
5. Spray potatoes & tomatoes for blight using Bordeaux mixture or Proxalin. Listen out for blight warnings
6. Keep rows of brassicas covered with garden netting to protect against caterpillars & the cabbage white moth
7. Weed between rows regularly, especially younger crops
8. Potatoes should be earthed up once it has 10cm of foliage growth above soil level

In the Greenhouse

1. Watering can be increased over the course of the month
2. Check pots regularly for slugs
3. Clean trays early in the month and ensure water is not stagnant
4. Open greenhouse door during the day to keep ventilated
5. Tomatoes can be pinched out to reduce number of flowering stems. Also begin liquid feed once flowers emerge
6. Wet the floor of the greenhouse to reduce temperatures & increase humidity

Plant Care

1. Spray roses with rose clear and keep feeding and deadheading
2. Pruning and training of Spring flowering plants can be done now. There are a number of plants that can be cut back now including...
   
   • Forsythia
   • Heathers
   • Buddleia
   • Wisteria
   • Azaleas
   • Magnolia
   • Weigela 
3. Cut the flowering spikes off Heuchera to maintenance their compact growth habit
4. Keep recently planted hedging, trees & shrubs well watered

Lawn Care

1. Grass growth slows in June and this means that lawn care tasks should be put on hold
2. Keep cutting your grass every 10 days
3. Mulch grass once each month
4. Apply dicophar weed killer to control broadleaf weeds on your lawns
5. Feed lawns with nitrogen based fertilizer once each month

In Garden Beds & Borders

1. Mulch up around the base of plants to provide weed control, moisture retention and fertiliser
2. Plant out Summer herbaceous seedlings such as Marigolds, Heleniums, Delphiniums, Cosmos, Asters amongst others. Cut back geraniums after flowering
3. Train wisteria and honeysuckle to a support frame
4. Position a support around tall herbaceous plants such as Verbena & Echinacea

General Maintenance

1. Trim lawn & border edges to keep neat look
2. Store water for irrigating plants & vegetables
3. Set up drip feeder hose beneath hedgerows