Belle Mead Farmers Co-Op

(908) 359 - 5173

GARDENING TIPS FOR JUNE

  • Early in the month plant sweet potato slips.
  • Finish planting corn, beans, pumpkins, squash and cucumbers.
  • Bush beans can be planted every two weeks until late July. Tomato, pepper and eggplant seedlings can be planted. Cage or stake tomato plants and lanky flowers such as asters, cosmos and veronica.
  • Prune spring flowering shrubs after they finish blooming.
  • Overcrowded daffodils can be divided and replanted now.
  • Remove brown foliage from spring bulbs.
  • Many perennials have a second bloom period if dead flowers are removed. Most annuals will also benefit from removal of dead and fading flowers. Chrysanthemums should be pinched back to promote bushiness.
  • Mulch everything to a depth of 3" to control weeds and moisture. Place netting over strawberries to protect the fruit from birds. Continue spraying fruit trees. Fertilize roses.
  • Mow the grass at 3", taking no more than 1/3 of the leaf blade at one cutting. Leave short clippings on the lawn- this will add nitrogen as they decompose. Check the lawn for chinch bugs.
  • Check containerized plants frequently for water. Houseplants can be brought outside to a protected location.
  • Landscape and garden plants should receive 1-1«" of water a week.
  • If rain is insufficient, supplement with watering. Avoid overhead sprinkling if possible. Use soaker or trickle hoses to prevent the spread of fungal diseases. Water early in the day, leaving time for the foliage to dry before dark. Up to 75% of the water is lost to evaporation when you water mid-day. A long slow soak is more effective than a short drowning. The goal is to moisten the soil to a depth of 6".
  • Aquatic plants should be growing rapidly as the weather warms. Fertilizing can be done once a month. Having approximately 75% of the surface of the pond covered with plants helps prevent algae growth. Water lilies can be kept at a depth of 6" until they're growing well, and then moved to a depth of 12-24". Tropical plants can be added now (non-hardy varieties).
  • Home