Tommy
June ushers in the peak gardening season. Everything is blooming, fruiting, thriving and demanding attention. Gardening tasks range from pruning and propagating to watering and tending to harvesting and fertilizing. We have summarized the most important gardening tips for June for you.
Keep tree grates clear
When temperatures rise in summer, weeds and grasses compete with trees for nutrients and water. If there is dense growth on the tree slice, which describes an area of 50 to 100 centimeters around the tree trunk, it also promotes collar rot. In the orchard, you should therefore keep your lawn as short as possible and the tree disc free of any growth.
A mulch layer consisting of organic material also reduces the growth of weeds. At the same time, it keeps the soil evenly moist and discourages grasses from growing into the tree disk area. If you are spreading the mulch for the first time, it is recommended that you spread a handful of horn shavings under the mulch material to balance nitrogen retention.
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Water fruit trees during dry spells
If June turns out to be particularly dry, fruit trees will thank you for regular watering. If the soil becomes too dry for the trees, they will drop their fruit early or only develop small fruits. While the amount of water depends on the fruit tree, apple trees need about 40 liters of water per week during a dry season.
In addition to regularly reaching for the garden hose, the immediate root area can be additionally protected from evaporation by covering it with bark compost. In addition to mulch material, specialist dealers also have special mulch discs made of coconut fibers available. These protect the tree disc and can be easily removed for watering.
Ventilate and shade greenhouses
If you cultivate vegetables such as tomatoes or cucumbers in a greenhouse, you must protect the plants from overheating on hot summer days. Warm air builds up quickly, especially in glass greenhouses. Shade nets on the side walls as well as under the roof reduce solar radiation.
Nevertheless, you should open the skylights at regular intervals to achieve good ventilation. Especially for large greenhouses, automatic ventilation flaps are useful, which open automatically and work through a temperature-controlled mechanism.
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Harvest elderflowers
If you would like to make sparkling wine or syrup from elderflowers, June is the ideal time to harvest. It is best to pick the fresh inflorescences of black elderberry early in the morning, after they have been exposed to a few warm days. This way, the flowers get the best aroma and are ideal for use.
Carefully shake out cones before preparing elderflower champagne or elderflower syrup, then swish the blossoms in ice-cold water and finally drain them on a paper towel.
Shorten young cuttings
For many flowering shrubs, propagation by cuttings works. If you try propagation, you will see in June at the latest whether it has worked. This means that the cuttings you made last winter, for example from deutzia, forsythia, pipe shrub or ornamental currant, will now sprout and be inserted into the soil.
As soon as the young shoots of your cuttings have reached a length of about ten centimeters, they can be shortened by half. With this care measure you promote the branching of the shrubs and stimulate bushy growth. If you want to transplant the rooted young plants, the next fall is recommended.
Fertilize the lawn for the second time
In June, grass plants reach their strongest growth. At the same time, the need for nutrients increases, so your green carpet will thank you for a second fertilizer application. Ideally, use a slow-release fertilizer after mowing the lawn and choose cloudy weather for this gardening task.
Even application of lawn fertilizer is crucial for uniform growth of individual grass plants. While experienced gardeners often spread the nutrients by hand, you can also use a spreader truck and play it safe. With this you drive in lanes over your lawn and distribute the lawn fertilizer in the optimal amount.
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Cut back cushion perennials
June brings the final end to spring flowers in the rock garden. You should therefore cut back early-flowering cushion perennials such as rockweed or bluecissus to promote compact growth.
The same procedure applies to semi-shrubs such as sunflower, ribbon flower or saint’s weed, which are best trimmed with hedge clippers. As a rule of thumb, shorten the shoot length of cushion shrubs and semishrubs by a good third.
Propagate ornamental shrubs via cuttings
When cutting back topiary shrubs such as privet or boxwood, many branches are produced that are suitable as potential cuttings. If you would like to propagate the woody plants, select one-year-old, slightly woody shoots. Cut them into sections between five and ten centimeters in length.
After removing the leaves in the lower third, you can put the cuttings in plant trays with growing soil, press the soil a little, water the cuttings well and then cover the tray with foil.
The rooting period depends on the plant species and varies from three weeks to half a year. In addition to topiaries, flowering shrubs such as the farmer’s hydrangea, scented jasmine or colkwitzia can also be propagated by cuttings.
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Harvest herbs before they bloom
If you want to harvest herbs such as rosemary or oregano to use in the kitchen, for example, you should implement this plan before they bloom. This is because the concentration of ingredients is highest before flowering begins, giving the herbs a stronger aroma.
Simply harvest the clumps of herbs with sharp secateurs and hang them to dry in a warm, airy place. If your herbs are already in bloom, the flower panicles of savory, borage, lavender, chives or thyme can also be used as edible decorations.
Cut back withered plants regularly
Self-seeding is desirable for many short-lived plants. Permanent species, on the other hand, are unnecessarily weakened by seed production. For these specimens, it is therefore advisable to consistently remove old flowering florets and faded shoots.
For some perennials, this measure can extend the blooming period, so that you can enjoy the flowers of peonies, sunflowers and phlox, for example, longer. It is important that you only remove wilted panicles and withered stems when pruning the plants, and cut off no more than the first developed leaf.
Rid the garden pond of algae
The warm summer temperatures also cause the water temperature in the garden pond to rise in June. While the conditions for uncontrolled algae growth turn out to be almost optimal, you should keep an eye on the algae population in your pond, especially during the summer season.
To reduce filamentous algae, for example, you can fish it off the surface of the water with a narrow rake or rake by gently pulling it through the water. Mineral binders also help lower the nutrient levels in pond water. The rock crumbs can easily be suspended in a plastic net in the pond and slow down algae growth.
Keep an eye on the water level of the garden pond
Warm summer temperatures not only contribute to increased algae growth, but also increase water evaporation in the garden pond. Especially during hot, dry periods, you should therefore keep an eye on the falling water level and compensate as necessary.
To replenish your pond during prolonged dry periods, stored rainwater is particularly suitable. You should let this run slowly and very carefully into the pond in order to stir up as little pond bottom as possible.
