June in the garden

by Graham Mitchell

The days are getting longer and for the gardener it is a good job as there is so much to do this month. Perhaps the busiest month of all if you want to make the most of your garden. The risk of frosts and high winds should be over now, but as ever, be prepared and always keep one eye on the forecast.

When moving plants grown indoors to their outside homes, make sure you harden them off gradually, by placing outside in a sheltered spot during the day, gradually extending the period. It will prevent the sudden shock destroying all your hard work. In June you will be dealing with flowers that have finished, those that are getting a bit too large, and those that are just coming on and need care. Time to get those vegetable plants out in the kitchen garden, and if you have been planning well you may well be harvesting broad beans and early potatoes now or later in the month.

Wait for bulb foliage to die back completely before removing. Consider lifting some of the bulbs and tubers for repositioning in the autumn. Some of the early flowering plants in the garden will have passed their best, getting leggy and out of control. Aubrieta can start to look rather messy so cut it back, and geranium need to be kept organised. Although not generally needing pruning, Clematis montana can go slightly mad and as it has stopped flowering, now might be a good time to cut it back into shape.

In the fruit garden, the fruits will have set, so you can see where to prune the plum and cherry trees to prevent them getting too big. You can expect the “June drop” where the tree naturally loses a proportion of the crop. Afterwards consider thinning out some of the growing fruit if quality is more important than quantity.

Hopefully you will have a water-butt. Use the water from this to water your flowering rhododendrons and azaleas. The hard water in this area will neutralise the acid in the soil and affect their growth. Do the same for blueberries which are extremely pH sensitive.