June
June brings tulips, lilies, roses, Fills the children's hands with posies.
— Sara Coleridge, The Garden Year (1834)
Summer gets into full swing
June brings long days, warmer temperatures and rapid growth throughout the garden. Bedding plants can fill borders and containers, vegetables begin producing crops, and regular watering, weeding and maintenance become increasingly important.
With plenty in flower, it is also one of the busiest months for garden wildlife.
Plant out for summer
June is a good time to plant out bedding plants, tender vegetables and herbs once the danger of frost has passed.
Fruit trees and bushes can also be planted, although anything newly planted will need careful watering as temperatures rise and rainfall becomes less reliable.
Start enjoying the harvest
Some of the year's first home-grown produce should now be ready.
Start harvesting early crops such as peas, new potatoes and
strawberries as they become ready. Regular picking can also encourage some crops to continue producing.
Keep everything watered
Plants can dry out quickly during warm June weather, particularly those growing in containers.
Water regularly, concentrating water around the roots and giving particular attention to newly planted specimens and pots. Collected rainwater is ideal where available.
Lawns are also growing strongly, so mow regularly while conditions allow.
Prune and deadhead
Once they have finished flowering, prune spring-flowering shrubs where appropriate to keep them healthy and under control.
Regularly deadhead roses and other flowering plants. Removing faded flowers keeps plants looking tidy and can encourage further blooms.
Keep on top of weeds
Warm soil and long days mean weeds are growing just as enthusiastically as everything else.
Hoe regularly, particularly through borders, to tackle young weeds before they become established and compete with your plants for water and nutrients.
Watch for pests
Keep checking plants for unwanted visitors, including lily beetles, which can quickly damage lilies and related plants.
Ripening fruit can also attract birds. Where necessary, protect fruit trees and bushes, taking care that any netting used is properly secured and does not trap wildlife.
Ventilate the greenhouse
Greenhouses can become extremely hot as temperatures rise.
Ensure good ventilation, opening vents and doors when necessary to prevent excessive heat and provide better growing conditions for your plants.
Give old compost another job
Used compost doesn't necessarily have to be thrown away.
Re-use compost by adding it to beds and pots, where it can contribute organic material and help make the most of a valuable gardening resource.
Wildlife to look out for
June gardens are alive with bees, butterflies and hoverflies, taking advantage of the abundance of flowering plants. Leaving a variety of flowers available throughout the month provides valuable sources of nectar and pollen.
Many garden birds are raising young, so you may see adults making frequent feeding trips and recently fledged youngsters beginning to explore. Be particularly careful when cutting hedges or dense vegetation where birds may still be nesting.
Around ponds, look for frogs, toads and newts, as well as increasingly conspicuous dragonflies and damselflies.
As evening arrives, bats may appear overhead hunting the insects attracted to gardens. Hedgehogs can also be active after dark, particularly around lawns, borders and sheltered areas.
One last tip
June growth can be remarkably fast, so regular small jobs are often easier than allowing work to accumulate.
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