GARDEN CALENDAR

June list of what to do in the garden.

Vegetables And Fruits

• Plant squash, cucumbers, sweet corn, green beans, and other summer vegetables.

• Conserve moisture and control weeds with mulch.

• Harvest spring vegetables until the end of the season, then remove them.

• Pinch herbs to keep bushy and fresh with new growth.

• Watch for the development of squash bugs as they multiply rapidly—control as needed.

• Treat tomato leaf disease with a fungicide if needed.

• Apply one inch of water per week if there is no rain.

• Continue a regular fruit disease and insect control program.

• Fertilize strawberries regularly to promote new growth.

• Renovate June bearing strawberry beds.

• Treat peach trees for borers.

• Remove sucker growth from the base of trees and along branches.

• Turn the compost pile and keep it moist to hasten breakdown.

Flowers

• Pinch chrysanthemum tips for the development of bushier plants.

• Remove spent flower blossoms to keep the plant flowering.

• Remove flower stalks from peonies and irises.

• Fertilize roses and trim spent blossoms.

• Check plants for insects.

• Remove dead foliage from spring bulbs.

• Water and fertilize container plantings regularly to encourage growth and flowering.

• Maintain a 2 to 3-inch mulch layer to reduce moisture loss, control weeds, and preserve excellent soil.

• Apply one inch of water per week if there is no rain.

Lawns

• Mow bluegrass and tall fescue 3 to 3½-inches high to improve drought stress.

• Avoid fertilizing tall fescue and bluegrass during summer.

• Mow Zoysia to a height of 1 to 2 inches all season.

• Fertilize Zoysia with high nitrogen fertilizer such as 27-3-3 one to two more times this summer.

• Repair dead spots and bare areas in Zoysia by sodding or plugging.

• Core aerate Zoysia to control thatch and improve water and nutrient uptake.

• Spot treat for summer broadleaf weeds.

• Fertilize naturally by letting grass clippings fall.

• Water the turf sparingly to increase drought

MY GARDEN (Use this space to list additional tasks to accomplish in your garden.)

• tolerance during the heat of summer.

• Begin grub treatments with preventive-type insecticides.

• Keep the mower blade sharp for a clean cut.

Trees And Shrubs

• Check for bagworms and control.

• Prune elongated “candles” of new growth on pines and spruces to shape/control size.

• Prune spring flowering shrubs.

• Water newly planted trees and shrubs.

• Check for spider mite damage by shaking branches over white paper. Mites look like tiny dots.

• Clip hedges to maintain shape.

• Maintain a mulch ring around young trees and shrubs.

• Prune dead or damaged limbs to correct structure and maintain health.

Houseplants

• Water and fertilize regularly to promote summer growth.

• Repot overgrown plants, shifting up to a one-inch larger pot.

• Rotate pots to provide sunlight on all sides, producing a balanced plant.

• Prune and shape plants.

Johnson County K-State Research and Extension recommends environmentally-friendly gardening practices. This starts by identifying and monitoring problems. Cultural practices and controls are the best approach for a healthy garden. If needed, use physical, biological or chemical controls. Always consider the least toxic approach first. Dennis Patton is the horticulture agent for Johnson County K-State Research and Extension. For free information fact sheets, visit www.johnson.ksu.edu, or call the Extension office at 913-715-7000.