June Maintenance

What to do in your garden in June

·         Plant out summer bedding

·         Plant up containers

·         Plant out Cannas and Dahlias

·         Continue to thin out hardy annuals if they are overcrowded

·         Lift and divide snowdrops and bluebells

·         Lift and divide overcrowded bulbs

·         Keep newly planted trees and shrubs well watered

·         Annuals can still be sown such as Calendula, Godetia, and Clarkia

·         Perennials such as Delphiniums and Lupins can be sown directly into drills outside once the seed heads have ripened and started to split naturally

·         Pinch out the tips of Fuschias to encourage a bushy habit and more flowers

·         Once your sweet peas start to flower, pick them out to encourage more flowers

·         Dead-head and cut back oriental poppies to just above ground level to stimulate new growth

·         Near the end of June, cut back hardy geraniums to encourage new flowers and foliage

·         Cut back bulb foliage as soon as they have died down naturally

·         Stake tall or floppy perennials to prevent wind damage

·         Tie in and train climbing plants to their supports

·         Prune out overcrowded or dead stems of evergreen clematis to maintain a good shape

·         Harvest flower heads from your lavender to use in baking

·         Winter bedding plants can be sown from May to July ready for the following winter

·         Hellebore seed can be harvested once the seed heads have ripened. The seeds need to be sown immediately whilst fresh, and need a winter’s cold season in order to break their dormancy in order for germination to occur

·         Spreading and trailing plants should be trimmed back after flowering to encourage fresh growth and new flowers

·         Pinch out the leading shoots on plants such as Chrysanthemum and Helianthus to encourage bushy plants

·         Divide Hostas as they come into growth

·         Divide Primula after flowering, planting in a nursery bed until they are ready for planting out again in the autumn

·         Hoe borders to prevent annual and perennial weeds from spreading and seeding themselves

·         Tackle bindweed as and when it appears

 

(Information provided by www.thompson-morgan.com and www.rhs.org.uk)