Finally, a little rain fell around the state, though things remain fairly dry overall. Disease and insect pests are becoming more common as tomatoes, cucurbits, and sweet corn come to harvest. See details below.
23.05.2024 - 11:01 / gardenersworld.com / Alan Titchmarsh
June has some of the finest weather we experience in the UK. The nights are at their shortest, which means that those in the most northerly parts of the country may never get full darkness, and even at the most southerly points, the evenings are drawn out, long and balmy. This is lovely for us gardeners and crucial to many of our plants. These short nights influence flowering in summer flowering plants, helping fill our gardens with colour and the buzz of pollinators.
Now is the perfect time to prune spring-flowering plants that have finished their display for the season. This includes cytisus and Berberis darwinii, which need just a light trim, and spring bulb leaves, which can be cut six weeks after flowering. Removing bulb material too early or tying it up can reduce vigour for the following year. Birds may still be nesting in shrubs, so go easy with the hedge trimmers and focus on any flowering shrubs that no longer look their best.
More pruning advice for now:Now is the perfect time to concentrate on pruning to encourage strong new growth that will bear next year’s spring flowers. A little reshaping now can be really effective.
DeutziaGive deutzia a light all-over trim to create a more solid shape or remove one in three old stems to rejuvenate the shrub.
HippophaeOnce the leaves appear, prune out any dead wood and on established, bushy plants, thin out one or two branches. Leave some to carry berries.
PhiladelphusThin one or two of the oldest philadelphus stems right after flowering, so new shoots have enough time to produce next year’s flower buds.
Finally, a little rain fell around the state, though things remain fairly dry overall. Disease and insect pests are becoming more common as tomatoes, cucurbits, and sweet corn come to harvest. See details below.
Summer is arriving and, all of a sudden, the kitchen garden is coming into its own. I am harvesting masses of salad leaves, broad beans and strawberries, and hopefully the first new potatoes. I can almost see things growing before my eyes, including the weeds, which I make an effort to keep on top of every few days (although I leave self-seeded dark pink poppies and some mauve linaria to encourage insects and add colour). To make the most of a small space, I grow salad leaves in large galvanised metal troughs, making sure that I sow a new crop every few weeks so I have a constant supply through the summer. Salad leaf mixes, including swift-growing, cut-and-come-again lettuce, rocket and mustard leaves, are available from almost any seed company, or at garden centres. Winter salad leaves, including mizuna, are best sown after midsummer, as they tend to run to seed quickly. I grow my salad leaves in the least time-consuming way, scattering the seeds thinly on the surface of the prepared soil or compost, and raking them in gently with a hand rake. Keep them watered and they will germinate within a few days and be ready to harvest in about six weeks. If you want to grow them in your vegetable beds, it is better to sow them in drills, so that the emerging seedlings are easily distinguishable from the weeds.
Hydrangeas are the stars of a summer garden.
Handy Vegetable Harvesting Guide Not sure when is the best time to harvest different vegetables? Check out our handy guide to learn about the signs of ripeness (and overripeness!) to pick vegetables at their peak. Tips for harvesting vegetables
Are you keen to jazz up your cooking with edible flowers?
June growing with Cel
Growing garlic is simpler than you probably imagine. The outcomes are usually satisfying and the whole process takes little time and effort. The main conditions garlic requires are sufficient sunshine, well-drained soil, proper watering, and regular weed removal.
As the weather continues to warm up, strawberry harvest wraps up, tomatoes and peppers are coming on strong, and cucurbit harvest is beginning. Read more details below.
The South Carolina Association of County Agricultural Agents (SCACAA) recently held its annual meeting in the beautiful town of Beaufort, SC.
June brings long sunny days and warmer weather – ideal for sowing half-hardy annuals in situ and planting out tender vegetables. Fruit like strawberries are ready to pick and borders are overflowing with cottage garden favourites such as roses, geums and lupins.
June growing with Rachel
Rainwater harvesting is the practice of collecting and storing rain for reuse, rather than letting the water run off and be absorbed into the ground or channeled into drains, streams, or rivers. It is one of the easiest ways to conserve water at home while also lowering your bills. Whether you opt for a custom-designed system or a simple rain barrel collection method, harvesting rainwater is a smart and sustainable choice.